The Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Joshua
Madaki, on Tuesday said Nigeria’s image internationally is at stake
because of continued captivity of Leah Sharibu and the others abducted
by the Boko Haram sect.
It would be recalled that Leah is the only abducted school girl of
Dapchi, Yobe State, still in the captivity of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Madaki stated this during a special prayer time for Leah and others
in captivity, the celebration of Leah’s 16th birthday and the protest by
the organizers of the programme to the assembly complex to submit an
appeal letter for Leah’s release, which was addressed to Governor Simon
Lalong of Plateau State through the Speaker.
The Lawmaker commended the organizers of the programme for their
unrelenting effort on Leah’s case and urged them not to give up until
the right thing is done and the girl is released.
The organizers and partnering groups are Christian Women for
Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society, Leah Sharibu Foundation,
Catalyst for Peace and Justice (CPJ) Lagos and The Para-Mallam Peace
Foundation.
The Speaker said nothing was too difficult for God to do and that he
was positive that before the end of this year, Leah would be released to
her family.
“As an assembly, our heart goes to our daughter, Leah Sharibu, who
has been in captivity. It all started with counting days, it then went
to months and today we are counting years.
“Her case is not beyond God, and we should not relent in praying and
fasting for her release. I don’t know how God will do it, but I have the
conviction that this year 2019 we shall give testimony. Our daughter
will be released and she will testify. All others who are in captivity
will be released also, that is my believe.
“As Leah marks her 16th birthday with her abductors, we urge the
government to facilitate her immediate release and the others. If we put
ourselves in the shoes of her parents, we will understand what they are
going through without their daughter. When your child is missing for
one day you know how it feels, and now Leah is being held for almost two
years now. The trauma Leah’s parents are going through also includes
their relations, neighbours, friends and indeed the whole society. By
God’s grace, all our prayers for Leah would be answered and not be in
vain.
According to him, “Leah’s predicament is not beyond what this country
can solve. We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and all the
heads of security agencies to do everything it take to secure the
release of Leah and all those in Boko Haram captivity.
“The truth is that the image of this country is at stake
internationally because of Leah and other school girls’ abductions. So,
everything should be done to put an end to these ugly incidents so that
our reputation with the international community would be redeemed,” he
said.
Speaking on behalf of the partners, Rhoda Jahota, said Governor Simon
Lalong should take their cry and demand to President Muhammadu Buhari
because he (Lalong) promised to be of assistance on the Leah’s case
because when Leah’s mother came and we went to visit him he promised to
assist in anyway he could.
Jahota maintained that they have waited enough for Leah’s release,
they don’t know what she is passing through and that they are
celebrating her 16th birthday while she is in captivity.
“But everything should be done so that Leah herself will celebrate her 17th birthday with her family and not in captivity.”
The group departed from the assembly complex and marched outside
various placards with different inscriptions such as, “#Not Forsaken,
Not Forgotten, #Free Leah and Happy birthday Leah. Others were #For
Leah’s sake, keep our schools safe, act now to keep our girls safe, It
could be your daughter.”
