Rescue my daughter from Boko Haram, Leah Sharibu’s mom begs UK Govt

IGP, Mohammed Adamu

Leah Sharibu’s mother, Mrs Rebecca Sharibu, has begged the British Prime Minister to do everything possible to rescue her daughter from Boko Haram enclave in Nigeria.

Rebecca, who visited London, went there with the issue of Leah’s rescue on her agenda.

Rebecca, who spoke in an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London, alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was not serious about securing the release of her daughter.

The woman disclosed that she was in London to ask the British Government to assist in rescuing her daughter from the den of terrorists.

According to her president Muhammadu Buhari, contacted her seven months after Leah was abducted. He later sent emissaries, who, buttressing Buhari’s promised, assured her that Leah would be released soon. She said that since then, mum has been the word from the Presidency.

She said: “I have come to Britain to lay my complaints, I need their help. They should help me, I will like my daughter to be freed from captivity. My daughter was abducted among others by Boko Haram terrorists. My major worry now is for the government to do whatever possible and free my daughter from captivity. Because, I am seriously disturbed, but there is nothing I can do. If the government is doing nothing, what can I an ordinary citizen do?”

Rebecca praised a non-governmental organization, Leah Foundation, established in honour of her daughter, explaining that the foundation funded her trip to London.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom stated: “On February 19, 2018, the Boko Haram faction ISIS-WA attacked the Government Girls Science and Technical School in Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigeria. ISIS-WA abducted 110 girls, five of whom were reported killed in the abduction. In March, ISIS-WA returned 104 girls to their families, all the students they had abducted from the school except for Leah Sharibu. ISIS-WA reportedly kept Leah Sharibu because she refused to comply with their demands and convert to Islam. Born on May 14, 2003, Leah Sharibu has had her 15th and 16th birthday while in ISIS-WA captivity, ISIS-WA threatened to kill Leah Sharibu if their demands were not met. The Nigerian government has said it, ‘will not relent in efforts to bring Leah Sharibu safely back home.’ In September 2018, ISIS-WA executed Saifura Ahmed, one of three humanitarian aid workers linked with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC) they had abducted in March, threatening to do the same to the two others and to Leah Sharibu. In October, ISIS-WA killed the second, Hauwa Mohammad Liman. Alice Loksha, the third aid worker remains in captivity. ISIS-WA’s most recent threat has been to keep Leah Sharibu as a ‘slave for life.’ According to estimates, Boko Haram, including ISIS-WA, continues to detain  hundreds of individuals in northeast Nigeria.”