Eight Years After Her Abduction, Leah Sharibu Remains in Captivity

Eight Years After Her Abduction, Leah Sharibu Remains in Captivity

Eight years have now passed since Leah Sharibu was abducted on February 19, 2018, by militants linked to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigeria. While 104 of the 110 abducted schoolgirls were released, Leah, only 14 years old at the time was reportedly held back after refusing to renounce her Christian faith.

Despite repeated assurances over the years that Leah is alive, the Nigerian government has not provided any verifiable communication, proof of life, or meaningful updates to her family or the public. However, the Leah Foundation has spoken to recently freed or escaped captives who affirm that Leah is alive and remains steadfast in her Christian faith. Leah must be released, along with countless other women and girls who remain in captivity.

Her parents, Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, and her younger brother, Donald, continue to live with the anguish of prolonged silence. They question why, after eight years, the Nigerian government has been unable to locate or communicate with Leah, despite reported offers of sophisticated intelligence and technical support from various Western partners.

The circumstances of her abduction and continued imprisonment have been widely condemned by human rights advocates worldwide. Reports indicate that Leah has endured years of forced captivity at the hands of ISWAP, with some sources alleging coercion, forced marriage, and other abuses, though independent confirmation remains difficult.

Advocacy groups within Nigeria continue to express deep frustration over the government’s lack of progress. In multiple public statements, civil society leaders have described Leah’s prolonged captivity as a “national tragedy” and have called on Nigerian authorities, security agencies, and international partners to intensify diplomatic and intelligence-driven efforts to secure her release.

Leah Foundation Remains Hopeful

The Leah Foundation, alongside international partners and prayer networks, continues to stand firmly with the Sharibu family. They remain unwavering in hope and advocacy, urging people around the world not to forget Leah’s suffering or her faith-driven courage.

A Call to Action

We call upon The Nigerian Government to transparently communicate the status of its search and rescue efforts, accept international assistance already offered, and prioritise Leah’s release with urgency, alongside other women and girls in captivity.

The International Community to continue pressing for humanitarian, diplomatic, and intelligence-sharing initiatives that may lead to Leah’s freedom and the freedom of other enslaved women and girls.

Faith communities and civil society to persist in prayer, advocacy, and public engagement until Leah Sharibu is safely reunited with her family.

For Nathan, Rebecca, and Donald, eight years is an unimaginable wait. They deserve answers. They deserve to hear their daughter’s voice again. and Leah courageous, resilient, and steadfast deserves to come home.

She is not forgotten.

Contact:
Dr Gloria Samdi Puldu
President, Leah Foundation
E: Gloria.SamdiP@leah-foundation.org
P: +234 803 454 8951