Christian advocacy groups are preparing to hold a rally outside the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC to highlight eight years since the abduction of Christian Nigerian schoolgirl Leah Sharibu and to call for renewed efforts to secure her release.
The June 18 demonstration, organised by Christian Freedom International, 21Wilberforce and the Jubilee Campaign, will coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict.
The event forms part of the Religious Liberty Partnership's Voices4Justice initiative, which seeks to raise awareness of religious freedom violations around the world.
Sharibu was just 14 years old when Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants stormed Government Girls' Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, and was taken captive on February 19, 2018.
She was seized alongside more than 100 other schoolgirls. While most of the girls were freed or escaped, Leah was reportedly kept in captivity after refusing to abandon her Christian faith and embrace Islam.
Organisers of the rally believe her to be the last remaining captive from the Dapchi school kidnapping.
The forthcoming rally, titled #EndTheSilence, aims to draw attention not only to Sharibu's case but also to the wider plight of Christian women and girls affected by violence, abduction, forced marriage, sexual abuse and religious persecution in conflict-stricken parts of Nigeria.
Campaign organisers describe Leah’s story as one of the most internationally recognised cases of religious persecution in recent years and say it highlights broader concerns about freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
For Leah’s family, it has been eight years of uncertainty and separation. Her parents have never given up hope that she will one day return home.
The campaign highlights the work of the Leah Foundation, founded by Nigerian human rights advocate Gloria Puldu. The organisation has sought to keep Sharibu’s case in the public eye through advocacy campaigns and ongoing dialogue with policymakers, while supporting survivors of abduction and violence.
A recent report, Hijacking Innocence, details the accounts of survivors - young Christian girls - who endured captivity, sexual violence and forced marriage before eventually being rescued or escaping.
The campaign highlights that many such cases seldom attract media coverage, while families often struggle to obtain justice or support.
This week's rally will urge Nigerian authorities to step up efforts to bring Sharibu and other kidnapped women and girls home safely, improve support services for survivors, investigate cases of abduction, forced marriage and sexual violence, indict perpetrators, and increase protection for communities at risk of violence.
A letter setting out these demands will be handed to Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Lateef Kayode Kolawole Are.
At the heart of the initiative, organisers say, is a commitment to safeguarding the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief.
Supporters are being encouraged to pray for Sharibu, her family and other women and girls affected by violence, and to raise awareness of their stories in churches and communities. Christians are also being called upon to advocate for stronger action to protect vulnerable populations.
“Eight years is too long,” campaign organisers said, urging the international community not to lose sight of Sharibu and the many others still awaiting freedom.
“Together, we can help ensure that Leah Sharibu - and the many other missing women and girls of Nigeria - are seen, remembered, protected, and never forgotten."
