‘Accept US offer to rescue our daughter’ – Leah Sharibu’s parents beg Buhari

Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, parents of the abducted Dapchi Christian Schoolgirl, Leah, have decried the abandonment of their daughter by the Federal Government.

Both parents have appealed to the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to accept the United States offer of assistance to secure her release.

Leah, who has spent three years in captivity for being a Christian, was forced to denounce her faith and accept Islam before being allegedly married off to a top Boko Haram commander.

While the teenager is said to be nursing her second child in captivity, her parents have lashed at the federal government, saying that Nigeria had failed Leah.

In a statement by spokesperson of the parents, Dr Gloria Puldu, they have demanded that Buhari brings back Leah with or without the alleged children she has.

The statement reads: “Morning of March 23 was another very difficult day as we woke up to the very sad and heartbreaking rumours that Leah Sharibu, who is still in captivity for three years, has given birth to a second baby in captivity.

“It is a very big shame on General Buhari and his entire government. He has abandoned this young child in captivity.

“Two weeks ago, Nathan and Rebecca called on him to use the current negotiators his government is using, who have successfully negotiated and secured the release of most if not all 300 Muslim Kankara boys from Katsina in December 2020 just six days after their abduction.

“In February 2021 they also negotiated and secured the release of about 27 schoolboys from Kagara in Niger State and 317 schoolgirls from Jangebe in Zamfara who all regained their freedom within few days of their abduction.

“Nigeria has woefully failed Leah Sharibu, what a very big shame. Nations all across the world value their citizens and will go to any length to rescue their adult citizens let alone their children, yet the Buhari administration has abandoned Leah Sharibu the lone Christian girl for over three years in captivity.

“This same administration has abandoned the remaining 112 Chibok girls for almost seven years. Nigerians recently saw how the American government came to rescue one of its citizens who was abducted in Niger Republic but transported into Nigeria (another sovereign state).

“Yet Leah, a minor, has been abandoned and forgotten by her government. We know that the American government has recently offered to assist Nigeria in its fight against insecurity if the Nigerian government requests its assistance.

“Leah’s parents are calling on General Buhari to please accept the American offer of assistance to secure the release of their daughter, especially if his current successful negotiators are not able to secure her release as they did with the recent school abductions.”