Leah Sharibu Not Dead, FG Reassures

Family demands her release before February 19

The federal government has again reassured that Leah Sharibu, the teenager abducted by Boko Haram terrorists, is not dead.

However, despite this reassurance, her family has asked the federal government to ensure the release of their daughter before February 19, which will mark exactly one year of her abduction.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described as absolute fake news of the reported death of abducted Dapchi school girl.

He said the rumour of Sharibu’s death, which surfaced just a few days to the presidential election, was another ploy by the political opposition to tarnish the image of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and exploit primordial sentiments ahead of the polls.

According to him, “It is absolutely fake news. There is nothing like that,” the minister said. “I think it is part of the opposition’s strategies to throw everything at the administration and at the president. I think everyday, they are realising the hopelessness of their position.

“Everyday they are amazed by the support the President is receiving from every part of the country and they have decided that they are going to spread falsehood, inflame passion and make this election a MuslimChristian affair or North-South affair, but people are not listening to them,” Mohammed said.

Meanwhile, the family of Leah Sharibu has petitioned the federal government to ensure the release of their daughter before February 19, which will mark exactly one year of her abduction.

On the night of February 19, 2018, the 14-year-old Leah Sharibu was kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists from her school, Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School in Dapchi, Bursari Local Government Area of Yobe State alongside 111 other girls.

All of the girls who survived the kidnap were later freed by the Boko Haram sect except Leah, who reportedly refused to denounce her Christian faith.

Her mother, Mrs. Rebecca Sharibu who was all tears at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, called for the release of her daughter as promised by the federal government.

She pleaded that President Muhammadu Buhari should do everything possible to ensure the release and safe return of Sharibu.

The distraught mother, who spoke in Hausa, recounted that President Buhari spoke with her on phone and gave her his assurance of Leah’s release, which was backed up with the visitation of a highpowered federal government delegation that had three ministers led by the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.