On May 14, 2025, the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation hosted a virtual prayer session to commemorate the 22nd birthday of Leah Sharibu, who remains in captivity after being abducted by Boko Haram in 2018. The event brought together faith leaders, human rights advocates, and members of the public in a united call for her release and justice for other abductees.
Leah Sharibu was one of 110 schoolgirls kidnapped from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State.
On the 19th of February, 2018, Leah Sharibu was kidnapped along with 109 other girls from Dapchi. While 104 girls were eventually released, five died during captivity. But one remained—Leah. Her refusal to renounce her Christian faith made her a prisoner of conscience. Her continued captivity has become a symbol of religious persecution and the broader challenges of insecurity in Nigeria.
Coinciding with the prayer session, the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation released a new documentary titled “ Unbroken: The Leah Sharibu Story,” which delves into Leah’s story and the broader issues surrounding her abduction.
The documentary features interviews with various individuals, including Leah’s mother, Rebecca Sharibu, shared her heartbreak and unyielding hope, revealing the emotional toll of her daughter’s captivity:
Watch Documentary Here:
“Anytime I close my eyes to sleep, I always see Leah. I couldn’t sleep for almost a week because of the intimacy between me and Leah. I’ll stand up and pray for her. I will say, Leah, if it is in my power to come and deliver you or save you, I would come. But it’s not in my power.”
Rebecca Sharibu also recalls Leah’s unwavering faith and commitment to her beliefs, stating, “Leah loves the Word of God. She tried hard not to do anything that would get me angry. She was a member of a few church groups, and she followed all the programmes in the church.”
The Revd Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, President and CEO of The Gideon & Funmi Para-Mallam, spoke extensively about the larger context of Leah’s captivity, emphasized religious persecution and the importance of continued advocacy, urging the Nigerian government and international community to intensify efforts for Leah’s release. He said:
“Leah ought to have been released by now, but here we are. Her story highlights the persecution of Christians taking place in Nigeria, particularly in the northern part where girls are abducted, married off underage, and some are sold into slavery in the case of Boko Haram. Others are locked up in palaces of high-power traditional rulers and married off to Muslim husbands whether they like it or not. Many times, their parents are denied access to these girls. Sometimes these girls are hypnotized and even deny their own parents, refusing to listen to them. Occasionally, their ages are falsified—underage girls as young as 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 have their ages changed to show they are up to 18.”
Prof. Funmi Para-Mallam, co-founder of the foundation, drew attention to the gendered nature of such persecution, describing the abuse faced by Christian girls as “a scourge on our national conscience.” She stated:
“Christian girls often suffer the brunt of demographic warfare and different types of conflict. Whatever the source or cause of the conflict, girls and women are often targeted for sexual slavery and servitude. They are made to exchange sex for food, medicine, shelter—just for the rudiments of life. That is called barter sex. How come nobody has gone to Sambisa Forest and said, ‘No, this girl must come out’? After eight years, if that was the daughter of a top-level politician, wouldn’t something decisive and deliberate have been done to bring her out? I think as a church, we have failed and need to rise up. The Bible says Jesus will leave the 99 sheep and go after the one. We need to stand for that one.”
Mark Peacock of KERYGMOS emphasized the global importance of Leah’s story, calling for urgent international action to free Leah Sharibu.
“Leah’s bravery challenges us all, and her captivity is an injustice we cannot ignore. Her story represents the fight for freedom of faith, human dignity, and protection of the vulnerable worldwide. We call on leaders and advocates everywhere to demand her release. Leah is not forgotten—we stand with her and will not stop until she is free.”
The documentary also includes testimonies from survivors and highlighted other ongoing abduction cases, including Praise Austin, a former youth corps member, and Lilian Gang Daniel, who has been missing for over five years. These accounts serve as a poignant reminder of the human cost of ongoing insurgencies and amplify the call for decisive government action and sustained international pressure.
Leah, a bright and intelligent young woman, is now a mother of three. Her teachers and classmates have all praised her academic excellence and her dream of becoming a nurse. “She’s the best,” they say. “No exam or test is given to Leah that she doesn’t excel in with outstanding results.”
As the nation reflects on Leah Sharibu’s 22nd birthday, the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation’s initiatives underscore the enduring call for justice, freedom, and the protection of fundamental human rights for all Nigerians.