The general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor E.A Adeboye on Friday directed pastors of the church all over the world to intensify their prayers for the release of 18-year-old Leah Sharibu from Boko Haram captivity.
In a statement titled ‘A call for release of Leah Sharibu’ which he signed Adeboye also urged all parents to use whatever influence they have to ensure that Sharibu, as well as other children in captivity, are released.
“I, hereby again call and direct all pastors in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, all over the world, not to stop but to intensify their prayers for the release of Leah Sharibu.
“I also call on every parent, all over the world, to use whatever influence they have, to ensure that Leah Sharibu, as well as other children in captivity, are released.
“We shall not relent in our prayers,” he said.
It would be recalled that Sharibu is a school girl who has been in Boko Haram captivity since she and 109 students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State were abducted by the terrorist group on February 19, 2018.
One hundred and five of the girls regained freedom on March 21, 2018 through a series of what the federal government described as ‘behind-the-scene discussion’ while five were said to have died on the way on the day of captivity and were given a mass burial.
But Sharibu (she was 15 as of the time of abduction), the only Christian girl among the hostages, was denied her freedom because she refused to convert to Islam as a precondition.
Prior to the Dapchi tragedy, 276 girls from a school in Chibok, Borno State were abducted by Boko Haram in 2014.
In December 2020, over 300 boys were abducted by bandits in Kankara, Katsina State. They were later released days after the abduction.
The latest abduction happened on February 17, 2021 at the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State where bandits kidnapped of 27 students some staff and members of their families.
