A Yoruba cultural organisation,Atayese has urged President Muhammad Buhari to use his negotiating power to ensure the release of Leah Sharibu who clocks 17 today.
In a press statement Thursday on the occasion of Sharibus birthday jointly signed by Adekunle Olaiya-Akinsemoyin and Olugbenga Awosode,Legal Adviser and Chairman respectively, the group noted that it is painful that all those arrested alongside with her has been released but was left in captivity for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
Full details of the statement:
Ooh what a sorrowful birthday, what pain a pain of having been born at this time of Nigeria’s history. Why should she be left alone in the hands of rapists as captive to mark a tender age anniversary of 17, when all her school mates abducted along with her on that sad February 19th day of year 2018, have all been freed, courtesy of Government negotiated release, leaving her behind just because she opted for keeping to her Christian faith instead of embracing the Islamic faith forced on all the other abducted school girls.
Atayese, the pan Yoruba socio- political organisation salutes Leah Sharibu on her attaining the chidhood age of 17 today, 14th May 2020 and shares in her pain of forced motherhood, following unconfirmed report of her giving birth to a baby boy, product of continuing raping and forced molestation by her abductors.
Our hearts as parents and fellow human beings like you, pray for you today as always, while it is our fervent prayer that one day, there will be a divine intervention in your situation releasing you from the seen and unseen hands of your abductors.
We share along with your parents, family and friends in your bitter grief of marking this 17th birthday anniversary in captivity.
Atayese thus in the spirit of parenthood, call on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the same negotiating prowess his government employed in freeing the over one hundred school girls kidnapped along with Leah Sharibu on that 19th day of February, 2018, to bring happiness of freedom to this young Christian girl still languishing in forced captivity.
The Buhari led government had promised several times to work towards freeing Leah Sharibu and many other captives kidnapped by insurgents waging fundamentalist war against the people and governments in the northern part of Nigeria.
The Buhari government tenure in office is already on its last lap, any positive effort made which does not produce positive result is best regarded as failure.
This government’s failure to effect Leah Sharibu’s release along with her fellow kidnapped school girls on the basis of her professed religion portrays a very bad commentary about the government’s claim of running a secular state.
President Muhammadu Buhari is a father who loves all his children dearly and we urge him to e in ensuring a successful negotiation for Leah Sharibu’s release, not minding her religious affinity.
Dated this 14th day of May, 2020.
Signed
Olugbenga Awosode Esq. Chie Adekunle Olaiya-Akinsemoyin
Chairman Legal Adviser
