Save me from captivity, Leah Sharibu begs Buhari

The lone Christian student still in Boko Haram captivity from the 119 students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe state, Leah Sharibu, has begged President Muhammadu Buhari to rescue her from captivity.

In an audio published by cable, an online news platform and monitored by National Daily, Miss Sharibu, who spoke in Hausa for 35 seconds, clad in hijab, sewn from a light brown material and seated alone on a mat patterned in pink spoke with measured calmness.

She called on the government and people of goodwill to intervene in getting her out of current situation.  “I also plead to the members of the public to help my mother, my father, my younger brother and relatives. Kindly help me out of my predicament. I am begging you to treat me with compassion, I am calling on the government, particularly, the president to pity me and get me out of this serious situation. Thank you,” she said.

Recall that all the girls who were captured have been released, except five who reportedly died in detention, but Sharibu was held back for “refusing to renounce her faith”.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has kept her in captivity for seven months, sparking public outrage.

National Daily learnt that the audio as well as pictures were part of the proof of life requirement in a possible renewed negotiation efforts between the government and ISWAP members.

The release of Sharibu’s school mates on March 21, 2018 reportedly followed what sources said had to do with the intervention of IS in Iraq and Syria. Insurgent leaders were said to have upbraided ISWAP for abducting Muslim schoolgirls.

Thereafter, according to our sources, the 110 Muslim schoolgirls were brought back under an elaborate ceremony that had the community cheering.

The federal government had said it was making efforts to secure her release.