While many Nigerians were celebrating the New Year, it was a different experience for the parents of Leah Sharibu, her mother’s friend and senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Dr Gloria Puldu, has stated.
According to her, Leah’s parents, Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, never expected that their daughter would enter the New Year in Boko Haram captivity.
Leah Sharibu was one of the 110 female pupils of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, abducted on February 19, 2018 by Boko Haram terrorists.
The family of Leah Sharibu had resorted to prayers over the demand of N100bn ransom by the Boko Haram insurgents from the Federal Government.
Criticisms have continued to trail the perceived lukewarm attitude of the government towards the plight of Leah Sharibu and other Boko Haram captives.
Puldu told WE4WE REPORTS that Leah’s mother broke down again in tears on New Year’s Eve over the government’s attitude towards Leah’s detention.
The UNIJOS lecturer spoke in response to enquiries on how Leah Sharibu’s parents celebrated the transition to the New Year without their daughter.
She said, “For Rebecca and Nathan Sharibu, it is another very sad moment for them as parents. Entering a New Year is very scary for them as they do not want their daughter, Leah. to clock two years in captivity.
“It is a very gloomy day for the entire family and Rebecca wept uncontrollably. She said she feared to think that another February 19 was around the corner, knowing that the Nigerian government had failed to keep the promises.
“She is actually broken and disappointed at President Buhari, who personally gave her his word through a telephone call in September 2018, assuring her that Leah would soon be home as negotiations for her release were already taking place.
“How long will this negotiation continue? Whenever the government is pressured (both home and abroad) about the release of Leah, they claim that government is negotiating for her release and that she will soon be home but up till now, January 2020, Leah is still held in captivity. For how long will this family continue being traumatised?”
Rebecca had sent a Christmas message to her daughter but expressed unhappiness that she was not with the family to celebrate the Yuletide.
Rebecca Sharibu, in the one minute, 25 seconds video, said, “I am the mother of Leah Sharibu, who was abducted since February 19, 2018. We are always praying for you wherever you are that God will bring you back. We are pleading with the government to put more effort so that Leah will be released.
“We are wishing you Merry Christmas wherever you are. We are not happy that you are not with us this Christmas and we pray God set you free and bring you back to us. We are pleading with those who are holding you captive to please pity us and release you. We are in great pains, thank you.”