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Opinion: When Would Leah Sharibu Return?
By Eric Elezuo
When on February 19, 2018 the dreaded Boko Haram sect staged the kidnap of 110 students of Government Girls Science School. Dapchi, Yobe State, nobody expected that the heroine of the whole thing will be the then 15 year old Leah Sharibu. Even as the government of President Muhammadu Buhari negotiated the back channel release of the girls, there was no part reserved for Leah to play, but she finally took the scene by storm, and is today the preferred major character of the entire ‘script’.
On Tuesday, March 22, the terrorist ‘brought back’ 104 abducted schoolgirls with two others according to the presidency. Reports also claimed that five of the girls were dead and one, only one girl was not released. Her only crime was that she was a Christian, and had refused to be converted to Islam or wear the hijab.
This singular action brought a different twist to the well woven plot as not only Nigerian Christians reacted, but the world at large, making an emphatic demand for the unconditional release of the girl who has been described as spirited.
While lamenting his daughter’s continued stay as a captive in Boko Haram’s domain, Leah’s father praised her for refusing to denounce her faith, emphasizing how proud he is to be her father. The Christian world, on their part, has applauded her actions, saying it is only a true child of God that can call Boko Haram’s bluff right in their domain. The young girl chose to die rather than denying her Lord Jesus Christ – that was a feat not many so called acclaimed men of God and tongue talking brothers and sisters may be able to achieve. It is often said that it is in time of serious crisis where life is at stake that the real child of God could be known: Leah proved that she is a real child of God.
Her action has elicited a promise from the President that he will do everything possible to see that the lass returned home unhurt while the Christian sect are holding prayers on end for her safe return. Whatever happens at the end of the day, Leah has practically performed the whole duty of man which is encapsulated in ‘fear God’; she has paid her dues and shamed her detractors; she has stolen the show to the glory of God. It will not be forgotten also that she has affected a lot of lives, non-Christians too with her stern expression of belief even in an environment where she had no power to enforce anything. And many will begin to understand that there is more to living a pious life than meets the eye.
The world is waiting for her to return to be showered with encomiums and honour as that girl who was drafted for a ‘waka pass’ role but ended up becoming the lead character, the unexpected heroine of the whole Dapchi story.
But with the killing of two aide workers attached to the Red Cross society by the Boko Haram sect months after they were kidnapped at an IDP camp in Borno, fears have been raised as to her safety and safe return.
Consequently, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari must put every mechanism in motion to ensure she not returns, but return without scratches of any kind. As the government has promised, so must they do, at least for credibility sake. The world is watching!
In the same vein, even as President Buhari has constantly assured that the girl, who recently clocked 16 in the terrorists’ camp, will be returned, Nigerians, and of course the international community continue to ask: when would Leah Sharibu return?
Time, of course, is running out!
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has addressed the circumstances behind the extended delay at Al Abraq International Airport, where the Super Eagles of Nigeria were held hostage for over 15 hours, and attributed the situation to routine air traffic and logistical challenges rather than deliberate foul play.
In a statement on Monday via X, the LFF sought to clarify the events, emphasising that the diversion of the Nigerian team’s flight was not intended as a hostile act.
“We firmly reject any claims that suggest foul play or sabotage in this situation,” the LFF said.
Meanwhile, in the most recent development, Super Eagles players and officials have been reportedly set to depart from Libya.
This was disclosed by a sports enthusiast, identified as Pooja Media, via his X handle on Monday, according to The Punch report.
He wrote, “Super Eagles players and all officials are boarding to fly out of Libya to Nigeria. Thank God.”
Confirming this, a player, Bruno Onyemaechi, wrote, “Me and Libya, I don wash my hands commot. Nothing concerns me and una again. Thank God I’m going back.”
The team, held at an abandoned airport for over 15 hours, has resolved not to play the match, citing safety concerns.
Nigeria Football Federation director of communications, Ademola Olajire, confirmed that the team would fly back home.
“Players have resolved not to play the match any longer as NFF officials are making plans to fly the team back home,” Olajire stated.
Four Israeli soldiers have been killed and more than 60 people injured in a Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central-northern Israel, according to first responders and the Israeli military.
The incident late Sunday local time is one of the bloodiest attacks on Israel since the beginning of the war last October.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said an unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, launched by Hezbollah hit an army base adjacent to Binyamina, a town north of Tel Aviv that lies some 40 miles from the Lebanese border.
The four killed soldiers were all 19 years old and in infantry training at the base, the IDF said, adding that eight other soldiers were severely injured.
According to Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service, a total of 61 people were wounded in the attack, with dozens still hospitalized.
The news comes after Hezbollah said Sunday it had fired a swarm of attack drones on an Israeli infantry training camp in Binyamina.
The Lebanon-based militant group said the attack was in response to deadly Israeli strikes in Lebanon Thursday.
Hezbollah said it had targeted the Golani Brigade, an infantry unit of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that has been deployed in southern Lebanon. The claim of responsibility for the attack came shortly after the militant group released an audio message from its slain leader Hassan Nasrallah calling on its members to “defend your people, your family, your nation, your values and your dignity.”
Earlier on Sunday, the IDF said it had intercepted a Lebanon-launched UAV without specifying where. It was not immediately clear whether this was the same incident that led to the injuries.
Israeli air defence systems tend to be very reliable, but on Sunday, there were no reports of alerts in the Binyamina area at the time of the attack, raising questions of how the drone was able to penetrate so deep into the Israeli territory without being spotted.
Hezbollah said it had fired dozens of rockets toward the northern Israeli towns of Nahariya and Acre to engage Israel’s air defense systems, while simultaneously launching the drone swarm.
“These drones broke through the Israel defense radars without detection and reached its target at the training camp of the elite Golani Brigade in Binyamina,” Hezbollah said.
The IDF’s top spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the military would investigate how the drone got through without raising an alarm at the base.
“We will learn from and investigate the incident,” he said in a video statement from the base. “The threat of UAVs is a threat we are dealing with since the beginning of the war. We need an improvement to our defense,” he added.
Source: CNN
The Court of Appeal has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court, affirming Martins Amaehwule as the rightful Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Recall that the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, had challenged the judgement of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court Abuja, which affirmed Amaehwule’s leadership.
This ruling is a victory for the camp of former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who has been at odds with Governor Fubara.
Governor Fubara has also been ordered to re-present the 2024 budget to the Amaehwule-led House of Assembly.
