On Tuesday, Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria held a peaceful protest in Kaduna State, demanding the release of Leah Sharibu and other kidnapped schoolchildren from northern Nigeria.
The protest took place at ECWA Good News Church to mark Leah Sharibu’s 21st birthday and criticize the government’s inability to rescue her, seven years after her abduction by Boko Haram in Yobe State. Leah, along with over 100 girls from Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, was kidnapped in 2018.
While the other girls have been freed, Leah remains in captivity. Reverend Yunusa Nmadu, the group’s convener, emphasized the protest’s dual purpose of celebrating Leah’s birthday and urging the government to act.
“We have all come out to commemorate the 21st birth of Leah Sharibu who has become the face of this campaign and many other campaigns for safe schoolchildren. We therefore want to wish her a happy birthday even in captivity.
“But then, we also want to entreat the government that they must do the needful. Nigeria is ebbing out. Nigeria is dying. We are almost surrendering to insecurity and bandits, kidnappers, and all sorts of evil people in our land. It is time to stop,” he said.
“Our children must go to school. We must stay safe in our homes. Our homes are no longer safe. Our roads are no longer safe. Government must come to terms with what is happening in the country and they must save the lives of the populists
“We voted you in for security but what we get is insecurity. Therefore, we asked and we spoke this time to the President of the country, Bola Tinubu. Please, up your game, and safe lives. People are dying in their hundreds every day. This is unacceptable to us as citizens of this country. Security is our right.
“Therefore, we hope that the government will listen and do the needful. Safe our schools. Safe our girls. It is not a crime to go to school because they have chosen to go to school. It is the responsibility of the government to secure our schools and protect the lives and property of the citizens of this country.”
He called on the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu to do the needful in rescuing Sharibu and other abducted schoolgirls still languishing in terrorist dens across the north.
On his part, the Secretary of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Emmanuel Okunlola, appealed to the government to protect the country and its citizens.