Three Years On: Martins Seeks Leah Sharibu’s Release
THE Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins has urged the Federal Government to secure Leah Sharibu’s release.
He said government’s failure to secure her release for the past three years, coupled with increase in cases of kidnapping and armed banditry across the country, recent being the abduction of over 40 students of Government Science College, Kagara, in Niger State and four teachers, was regrettable and unjustifiable in view of enormous financial and material resources expended to wage war against insurgency and all forms of insecurity in the country.
Recall that Leah Sharibu, a Christian, was among 110 female students of Government Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yunusari Local Council, Yobe State abducted by Boko Haram on February 19, 2018. Her case, in particular, attracted unprecedented local and global attention, owing to the fact that others were released, while she was detained for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
In a release, yesterday, by the
Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu, the Archbishop insisted that government owed Leah Sharibu’s family, and indeed, all Nigerians the duty to not only secure her release and other abducted stu - dents, but also to put an end to all forms of insecurity.
The statement read: “It is sad to note three years have passed by since Leah Sharibu, a Christian student of Government Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yunusari Council, Yobe State was ab - ducted from her school along with other girls and has since been in incarceration. The Federal Government promised, as a matter of priority, to ensure her release. Unfortunately, she along with others are still languishing in the hands of their abductors. We have been told several efforts have been made to ensure her release, but we are yet to see them materialise.” Martins appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to do all within his power to secure Leah’s release and those of other abducted students.
The cleric, while congratulating the newly appointed Service Chiefs, reminded them of the enormous responsibility ahead of them.