On Wednesday, Boko Haram released a video showing 6 aid workers with Action Against Hunger, abducted by the terrorist sect.
In the video, one of the aid workers, who identified herself as Grace appealed to the federal government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to assist in securing her release.
According to Premium Times, Grace also said that Leah Sharibu, one of the secondary school students kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe state has been killed, as well as other women, because Nigeria did not “do anything about them.”
Leah is among the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram. She was the only schoolgirl who was not released by the terrorists after the Federal Government negotiated the release of others. She was said to have refused to denounce her Christian faith.
Reacting to the video, Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari‘s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity said:
''The Presidency has been briefed by the responsible government agency about the disturbing video showing our citizens, the humanitarian aid workers held captive.
Presidency has been given assurances that contact is being made and the captors are being talked to.
Beside these aid workers, there are some others about whom this engagement is about-Leah Sharibu, a religious leader and all the others. These discussions have been ongoing even before this time and what this latest incident has done is to bring urgency to the efforts that the secret service is making.
Government is making contacts, in the hope that the captors will see reason to not visit hardship or even harm on these innocent individuals''.
In the video, one of the aid workers, who identified herself as Grace appealed to the federal government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to assist in securing her release.
According to Premium Times, Grace also said that Leah Sharibu, one of the secondary school students kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe state has been killed, as well as other women, because Nigeria did not “do anything about them.”
Leah is among the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram. She was the only schoolgirl who was not released by the terrorists after the Federal Government negotiated the release of others. She was said to have refused to denounce her Christian faith.
Reacting to the video, Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari‘s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity said:
''The Presidency has been briefed by the responsible government agency about the disturbing video showing our citizens, the humanitarian aid workers held captive.
Presidency has been given assurances that contact is being made and the captors are being talked to.
Beside these aid workers, there are some others about whom this engagement is about-Leah Sharibu, a religious leader and all the others. These discussions have been ongoing even before this time and what this latest incident has done is to bring urgency to the efforts that the secret service is making.
Government is making contacts, in the hope that the captors will see reason to not visit hardship or even harm on these innocent individuals''.
full transcript of Grace’s statement below:
“My name is Grace, I work with Action Against Hunger an NGO in Borno state. My base is Damasak. We went to work on Thursday the 18th of July 2019 outside Damasak.
“On our way going back to Damasak, by Kinnari Chamba ward in Damasak we were caught by this army called the Khalifa. They brought us here and actually we don’t know where we are. But this minute, this moment I want to beg on my Christian Association of Nigeria because I am the only Christian amongst six of us here.
“I want to beg that CAN should do something about me to see how I can be released. I also want to beg Action Against Hunger in Borno State that we are six here and all of us are staffs, we went to work on our way coming back to our base that was when we were caught. I beg Action Against Hunger to know that we have families, some of us have children and I am begging Action Against Hunger that they should do something to release us.
“I also want to call on Nigeria that we are Nigerians; we are also working for Nigeria . I beg that the Nigerian government should please, and please, I am begging; do something to see that we are released because this has occurred before to this organisation, RED CROSS where some ladies were caught, Hauwa and Kabura there were told to ask to be released but because Nigeria did not act they were killed.
“I am begging on behalf of all of us here that please Nigeria should not allow such to happen to us. And it also happen again with Leah and Alice – because Nigeria could not do anything about them they were not release; they were also killed. I beg that Nigeria and our organisation Action Against Hunger should do something and see that we are released. Thank you.”
from Bellanaija
“My name is Grace, I work with Action Against Hunger an NGO in Borno state. My base is Damasak. We went to work on Thursday the 18th of July 2019 outside Damasak.
“On our way going back to Damasak, by Kinnari Chamba ward in Damasak we were caught by this army called the Khalifa. They brought us here and actually we don’t know where we are. But this minute, this moment I want to beg on my Christian Association of Nigeria because I am the only Christian amongst six of us here.
“I want to beg that CAN should do something about me to see how I can be released. I also want to beg Action Against Hunger in Borno State that we are six here and all of us are staffs, we went to work on our way coming back to our base that was when we were caught. I beg Action Against Hunger to know that we have families, some of us have children and I am begging Action Against Hunger that they should do something to release us.
“I also want to call on Nigeria that we are Nigerians; we are also working for Nigeria . I beg that the Nigerian government should please, and please, I am begging; do something to see that we are released because this has occurred before to this organisation, RED CROSS where some ladies were caught, Hauwa and Kabura there were told to ask to be released but because Nigeria did not act they were killed.
“I am begging on behalf of all of us here that please Nigeria should not allow such to happen to us. And it also happen again with Leah and Alice – because Nigeria could not do anything about them they were not release; they were also killed. I beg that Nigeria and our organisation Action Against Hunger should do something and see that we are released. Thank you.”
from Bellanaija
I don't understand how I will willingly take up a job in a volatile region like Borno state. I nor dey understand am...
ReplyDeleteThis is a sad one, govt should try and see to the release of these people. Oh Leah, may your soul and the others rest in peace if the report of your death is true.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad
ReplyDeleteThey gave you chance to freedom and you she refused to take it... when a man is holding a gun, oboy, at that point youre the overall boss oh, everyother thing is secondary, no gra gra needed.
ReplyDeleteHey!!!I watched the video yesterday night and it broke my heart.I have been praying for LeahðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜.Rest in peace Leah ;Godbless help our nation
ReplyDeleteThe government of Nigeria is heartless! Heartless and God will judge Bihari and all the Jihadists hiding ruining lives.
DeleteThe Government had the power when those people requested for ransom; immediately they said they won’t release all the girls, negotiations should have ended but you valued the muslim lives and left that poor girl!
God will not forgive you people...
I pity my fellow Yoruba’s shouting Bihari up and down, you don’t know that they hate you! If you know what is being said in the secret meeting you will know that they have no regard for the rest of us!!
Useless government. Leah Shaibu died cos of her religion.
ReplyDeleteI pray it's not true. That girl MUST not die.
ReplyDeleteThis government has failed woefully, unless something tragic happens, we are in for a loooong thing, do we begin to pray and hope for recolonization now? Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteWhen your president is a Jihadist...
DeleteSo sad... I pray they are released soon...
ReplyDeleteI knew long ago that the poor girl has been killed if not they would have used her to plead for her life like this lady is doing.even the govt knows she is no longer alive. just making a mockery of her parents and Nigerians. stupid leaders.I hate this country.
ReplyDeleteWhen I watched 24,I heard for the first time that the united States government does not negotiate with terrorists,I thought it was same with my beloved country;Here is Nigerian government announcing openly not even secretly to her citizens that they are negotiating with the terrorist captors.So the rescue of these people depends on just negotiations? I give up on this country already.
ReplyDeleteMr President please act fast now,must you sit and watch while terrorists keep abducting and killing aid workers? Do something.
ReplyDeleteI sincerely don't know what to say..pls say a prayer about them or others in captivity.
ReplyDeleteAid workers need to abandon the North!!!! Leave them to rot! They welcomed and hailed these people, let them enjoy the consequences..
DeleteIt is the poor Christians living up there that I pity. Heartless souls