Senate on Thursday called on the Federal Government to expedite action for the release of Leah Sharibu, the only remaining student of Government Science Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, who has remained in captivity of insurgents.
The Senate made the call following the adoption of a point of order on Thursday.
Senator Sani had taken the floor through a point of order, citing Order 43 of the Senate Standing Orders 2015, as amended to draw the attention of the Senate to the plight of the abducted girl.
He told the Senate that the Federal Government needed to expedite action and ensure the girl is rescued by whatever means possible.
A splinter group of Boko Haram insurgents had on the 19th of February 2018 abducted a total of 115 girls from the School but released 109 a month after, claiming that five out of the abducted girls died in captivity while Leah Sharibu was held back for refusing to renounce her faith.
Though governments at both the Federal and State levels promised Leah Sharibu’s parents that her release from captivity would be ensured, she has remained in captivity since February last year.
Senator Sani said that there was the need to urge the Federal to expedite action on whatever means possible in getting the girl rescued.
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He said: ” Fourteen months of Leah Sharibu in the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents and five years of the yet to be released Chibok girls, calls for national concern and urgent need by relevant authorities to do all within their powers in getting them released.
“What perhaps may be the most important strategy to be adopted in getting Leah and others out of captivity, is the option of dialogue with their abductors.
“It has worked in so many other places where similar abductions took place like Afghanistan , Pakistan etc, terrorised by the Talibans.
” Though government cannot be said not to have taken actions in getting Leah and others released, but there is need for it to redouble and expedite actions in that direction for parents and relatives of the abductees be freed from psychological trauma they must have been facing and for the abductees to know that they have a country that cares for them. ”
There was no debate on the motion since the Senator came under an order for self-explanation.
But the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, in his remarks that said all efforts must be made by the Federal Government to secure the release of Leah and others released.
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