Dapchi community remembers Leah Sharibu one year after abduction, attacks FG for ‘slow rescue effort’

Friends and members of Dapchi community in Yobe on Tuesday gathered at the home of Leah Sharibu, who was abducted exactly a year ago by Boko Haram terrorists with other girls at Government Girls Science Technical College.

They demanded for the release of Leah, the only Christian girl left in captivity for refusing to deny her Christian faith.

Muslims and Christians also offered prayers for the release of Leah at her parent’s home in Dapchi.

Secretary of Association of Parents of Abducted Dapchi Girls, Kachalla Mohammed regretted the Federal Government’s efforts to rescue have not yielded dividends.

Kachalla noted the government needs to act fast to save her from Boko Haram and bring joy to the traumatised family.

“We are fasting and praying in the mosques and churches for Leah. Her parents are also praying in Yola.

“We have organised ourselves to show our displeasure over the slow rescue of Leah from Boko Haram by the Federal Government. We are looking forward to Leah’s releases

“We have gathered at Leah’s House in Dapchi today to show our solidarity to the mother and parents of Leah. As it is today, we don’t know the kind of condition that Leah is inside. Whether she is alive, healthy or sick, we don’t know.”

He went on: “I recalled three months ago, Mr. President sent a delegation to this House to come and promise to the parents of Leah and up to now, we have not seen Leah come back to her parents.

“Today is 19 February, 2019 exactly one year when Leah was taken with her mates.”

Some of the residents also expressed displeasure over the inability of the Federal Government to secure the release of Leah a year after giving so many assurances to the parents and the community.

“I personally cannot understand or believe that like joke this little girl has spent one year in the hands of Boko Haram and nobody is sure yet what will happen despite all the people that President Buhari has sent to Dapchi here to the family. This is not fair,” Adamu, a resident said.

Another resident, who identified himself as Yerima, informed that Dapchi will remain an unhappy community without the return of Leah.

“We also feel sad that this girl has not been returned to us. It’s a very sad development for us.

“This community will not have its complete joy until the day Leah will be released. Many parents were happy the day the other girls were returned but today, the news of Leah always make our joy seem incomplete,” Yerima said.

Leah’s aunty, Hyelakumi Mannaseh, amidst tears appealed to Boko Haram to free her niece, while calling on the Federal Government do what it takes for Leah’s freedom.

“We are pleading with Boko Haram. Let them release Leah as they released other. We are calling on the Federal Government to do something very fast so that the poor girl will be released.

“It is like we are all in captivity with Leah in this one year. We are not happy.

“We don’t know what we are doing, sometimes; we are behaving like mad people because of the condition that Leah is inside.

“We are still sure that Leah is not dead. We hope the death rumours is not true. We are still expecting to have her back by the grace of God Almighty,” She said.

The Pastor of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) Rev. Musa Ibrahim said the entire Church in Dapchi is grieving over the development.

“We are crying to government to hear our cry so that the family and the entire community will rejoice,” he said.

Chairman of Association of Parents of Dapchi Abducted Girls, Bashir Manzo, called on the Federal Government to pay whatever ransom Boko Haram demands to free Leah.

“The president should expedite actions on the release of Leah. Let the president pay whatever Boko Haram is requesting so that this little girl will be set free.

‘’They would have done anything within their powers to release this girl if it’s their own child,” Manzo said.