Leah Sharibu: FG’s assurance means nothing to us again —ecwa president

The President Evangelical Church of Wining All (ECWA) Reverend Stephen Panya Baba has said the assurance by the Federal Government for the release of  Leah Sharibu from the captivity of Boko Haram no longer meant anything to the church saying that the church now depends on God’s intervention.

Reverend Panya who stated this in Jos, Plateau State, said the best effort of the Federal Government could only be appreciated if  Leah Sharibu was released.

“The best of the Federal Government is not the best; their best over this issue can only be appreciated if Leah Sharibu is released from the captivity. We keep on reemphasizing that if the federal government is able to negotiate the release of Zianab and other girls, we don’t see why it should not be successful in the negotiation towards the release of Leah Sharibu.

“We have reached a point where assurances from the Federal Government do not even mean anything to us again; we are now depending on God. We are praying that God should intervene, if the Lord still use Nigeria government glory be to Him but in term of really having confidence in the government, our confidence over this period has been eroded. We are calling on the International community to come in and do something. Maybe pressure from the international community will spur the government to do what it supposed to do.

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“Leah is a member of this church likewise Alice, a lady Nurse  with the UNICEF who was  also captured by the  Boko Haram. While Leah parents are in pain and agony, Alice’s husband and children are also in pain and agony. The last time I visited the family of Alice,  her husband told me he  is running out of story to tell the children as to when their mother will return”

Revd Baba enjoined Nigerians, especially the family of Leah Sharibu, not to lose hope on the return of their daughter and others  still in captivity but to intensify their prayers.

“The church is not sleeping over the plight of all those still being held by Boko Haram. We are paying for their release and we strongly believe that the Lord will answer  our prayers,” he said.

Meanwhile, Secondary school pupils in Jos, Plateau State on Tuesday organized prayers session to mark the 16th birthday of Leah Sharibu who was abducted  by Boko Haram in Dapchi village, Borno State and appealed to the federal government  to ensure her  release from captivity.

The pupils mostly from private Secondary Schools sang a birthday Song  for Leah Sharibu and  carried placards with various inscriptions  encouraging Leah to continue holding on to her faith and urged  her parents to be hopeful about her return.

Speaking at a mini rally to mark the birthday, the President of Leah Foundation, Dr. Gloria Samdi-Puldu appealed to the federal government to honor its promises of freeing Leah from captivity.

“If you can remember Lead Sharibu was abducted alongside over a 100 other school girls in Dapchi, she was 14 years then, she clocked 15 in captivity. This year, she is 16, we are gathering here to mark her day and send a message to her that despite the fact that she has been left in captivity because she refused to renounce her faith, we are proud of her and stand by her.

“We call on the federal government to please fulfill the promises it made to the parents and to all Nigerians that Leah would be released. This is her 16th birthday and she is still in captivity, schools have come out to show solidarity and tell everyone that our schools must be kept safe; Leah is in captivity not for any crime, she has to be freed.