News
‘Release Leah Sharibu’ Campaign Mounts As She Turns 21 In Captivity
Leah Sharibu, the 14-year-old-girl kidnapped in Dapchi school in Yobe State is now 21-year-old but still under captivity.
Leah Sharibu was kidnapped by Boko Haram at the young age of 14 but she is now a 21-year-old woman.
She was kidnapped on February 19, 2018, and despite outcry, she has not been rescued six years after but her pictures with kids she gave birth to kept floating the internet.
Despite the failed promises, the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Peace and Social Justice Advocate, Rev Gideon Para-Malam, has kicked off a campaign, calling for Leah‘s release.
Para-Malam said it is regrettable that President Buhari spent five additional years in power without securing the release of Leah and other girls in captivity.
“He did promise Leah’s mother in my presence, during a phone conversation October 2018, with Leah’s mother, where only four of us were present in the room that he will do everything to bring Leah out and deliver her to her parents but until he left power in May 2023 last year, nothing sadly happened of that promise. Leah’s mother had visited and stayed in our home at the time. This call took place during a major global advocacy, The Peace Foundation, organised under the foundation’s advocacy stream; to make a plea for the freedom of Leah Sharibu.
“A former governor, now a senator, played a compassionate role in reaching the President, when I took Leah’s mother to meet him and his wife. God bless this former governor. We each play our part but God will do the rest. Leah shall be free one day. Let’s keep hope alive,” Para-Malam said, adding that the present government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has been totally silent so far on Leah Sharibu’s matter and other girls in captivity.
“Sometimes silence is golden, one would like to assume. Are they working to free her or ignoring Leah’s case? It’s left to be seen but The Para-Mallam Peace Foundation has reached one top leader and few others in government to make a case for Leah.
“Who knows? Oh, that Leah may be free. This is my heart cry in prayer daily and knocking on several doors both local and global. Added to this pain is this one fact, it is not only Leah‘s parents who are psychologically and emotionally traumatized but several other parents.
“Leah’s parents: Mr Nathan, Mrs Rebecca and Mr Donald Sharibu – her brother. The parents of Lilian Gyang Daniel (Mr and Mrs David Kwa and Ruth), Praise Austine parents and her siblings, Patience parents and family and several others time and space would allow me to list. Our Peace Foundation is in touch with them. Their daily sorrow, agony and state of mental health are better imagined,” Para-Malam added.
He called on the Church in Nigeria through Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to believe in prayer and seek a peaceful resolution of the painful matter.
Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media and Public Communications to Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has responded to the recent appointment of Bashir Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.).
Olayinka took to X (formerly Twitter) to address discussions surrounding this leadership transition. His post aimed to clarify that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not dismiss Mele Kyari, a northerner, to replace him with a southerner, as some speculated. Instead, Olayinka pointed out that Ojulari, like Kyari, hails from the northern region of Nigeria.
According to Olayinka’s post on his official X account, he emphasised that Bashir Ojulari is from Kwara State, located in North Central Nigeria. Additionally, the new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, originates from Borno State in the North East.
His post stated: “Bashir Ojulari, the new NNPCL CEO, is a northerner from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. The new Board Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, is also a northerner, from Borno State, North East Nigeria.”
Olayinka’s statement came in response to narratives suggesting that the appointment was politically motivated to favour one region over another.
By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has strongly condemned the extrajudicial killing of 16 travelers in Uromi, Edo State, while warning against retaliatory violence targeting Southerners in Northern Nigeria.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, MBF Spokesman Luka Binniyat denounced inflammatory threats from individuals claiming to represent Northern interests in response to the killings.
Recalled that the victims, were allegedly armed hunters, traveling from Port Harcourt to Kano when they were attacked by a mob that accused them of being kidnappers.
“The MBF strongly condemns the unlawful killing of any Nigerian citizen, including those who lost their lives in Uromi,” the statement read. “However, we categorically reject any attempt to use this tragic incident as a pretext to unleash violence against Southerners residing in Northern Nigeria.”
The forum assured that the Middle Belt would not become a battleground for reprisals, emphasizing that it remains a safe haven for all law-abiding Nigerians. It urged community leaders and youths to remain vigilant and prevent any attempts to instigate violence, calling for anyone with such intentions to be handed over to authorities.
The MBF also reaffirmed its commitment to justice for all victims of violence across Nigeria. The statement highlighted the ongoing security challenges facing Middle Belt communities, citing persistent attacks by armed herdsmen with little government intervention.
” We hope that the swift response to the Uromi killings would serve as a precedent for broader action against criminal elements terrorizing the region.
“Thousands of our people remain in captivity, and vast portions of our land are still under the control of violent outlaws—primarily Fulani militants,” the statement noted.
“Justice must be served across the board.”
The MBF concluded by reiterating its support for the ongoing investigation into the Uromi incident and calling for a fair and decisive crackdown on all forms of criminality across the country.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.