Leah Sharibu’s parents, Nathan and Rebecca, are heartbroken at recent reports that their daughter had given birth to a second baby while still in Boko Haram captivity.
Recall that Leah was among 110 girls, aged between 11 and 19 years, who were abducted by the terrorists from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, 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 Leah the only Christian girl among the hostages, was denied her freedom because she refused to convert to Islam as a precondition.
NewsGazette had earlier quoted the convener of the US-Nigeria Law Group, Mr. Emmanuel Ogebe, as saying in a statement that “intelligence received on the status of Leah indicates that she has delivered a second child in captivity. While we have not corroborated this by multiple sources, a usually knowledgeable source indicated that she delivered a second child late last year. This means both children were born in 2020 as the terrorists announced her childbirth earlier in 2020. We are still investigating this.”
Read https://newsgazette.com.ng/2021/03/23/disheartening-leah-sharibu-gives-birth-to-second-baby-in-boko-haram-captivity/
Reacting to the reported delivery of their daughter of a second child while in captivity, the representative for Leah’s parents, spokesperson and executive director of Leah Foundation, Dr Gloria Puldu said: “The 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. We don’t know anything; that is why we said it is a rumour. We don’t know where she is and have never heard from her.
“It is a very big shame on General Buhari and his entire government. He has abandoned this young child in captivity. Leah, a minor, has been abandoned and forgotten by her government. The traumatised parents of Leah, Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, are crying and demanding that President Muhammadu Buhari bring back their daughter with or without children.
“Leah still remains their child and they will take her back, no matter the situation or the condition she comes out with. Leah remains a heroine in the eyes of every Christian all over the world for her bold and courageous stand to refuse to renounce her Christian faith despite the extreme danger.”
Earlier, Leah’s parents had written to the president demanding the release of their daughter from the terrorists den.
The document entitled ‘Open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR’ reads: “Sir, with deep pains in our hearts but gratitude to God Almighty who commands us to be grateful in every situation, we write this open letter to you concerning our daughter, Leah Sharibu, who as you well know is still in captivity in the hands of Boko Haram.
“February 19, 2021 marked three years that she was abducted alongside her secondary school mates whom you were able to secure their release on March 21, 2018, barely one month after their abduction.
“Mr. President, you have promised me on the phone that my daughter will soon be released because negotiations are going on and not long, Leah will be returned home. But it has been over two years since you made that promise and Leah is now three years in captivity.
“Sir, we plead with you to put yourself in our position and assume that Leah is your daughter. How would you feel knowing that she is in captivity just because she was courageous to refuse to renounce her faith?
“Leah Sharibu was one of the 110 female students of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, who were abducted on February 19, 2018, by Boko Haram terrorists.”
