The parents of a young Christian girl from Nigeria who has been held in in captivity by Islamic extremists for eight years are calling for greater action to protect women and girls in the country.
Leah Sharibu was 14 when she was kidnapped by Islamic State militants from her school in Dapchi, Yobe State. She was one of over a hundred other girls taken by the group. While most of the girls were eventually released, Leah remains in captivity because reportedly she refused to renounce Christianity for Islam.
Her parents, Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu shared accounts of those who escaped from ISIS of “forced marriage, repeated trauma, childbirths in captivity, and the constant shadow of sexual violence used as a weapon of war and control”.
Despite eight years in captivity, Leah’s parents said they still had hope, but said more should be done to secure her release.
“Leah’s freedom is a matter of national urgency and moral imperative. Her case highlights the broader plight of countless girls and women suffering in similar conflicts across Nigeria and beyond," they said.
Her parents are part of the Voices for Justice campaign, which is supported by a number of human rights organisations, including Open Doors International.
Open Doors' Global Advocacy Director, Tiffany Barrans, said, “We have joined hands with Voices for Justice to draw attention to the issue of sexual violence used as a weapon in conflict.
“In this instance, we want to draw particular attention to the vulnerability of Christian women and girls in Nigeria who face abduction, sexual violence and trauma at the hands of extremist groups.”
Barrans added that Leah’s refusal to abandon her religion in order to gain her freedom was a “powerful symbol of courage”.
“But she also represents a collective trauma and a failure of the state to protect its people. Her prolonged captivity highlights the struggles, violence, and intimidation Christians and other vulnerable groups face in parts of northern and central Nigeria," she said.
“Leah is still in captivity, but even for those who are released, their ordeal can have devastating and wide-ranging consequences.”
