Free Leah Sharibu, Abducted Aid Workers Now, CAN Tasks President
The
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to without any further delay, secure the release of
Miss Leah Sharibu and Grace Taku, a worker with International aid
agency, Action Against Hunger, and five of her colleagues, abducted last
week Friday in Borno State by members of the Islamic State West Africa
Province (ISWAP).
The CAN
President, His Eminence, Reverend Dr. Samson Ayokunle, made the call in a
statement, yesterday, signed by his Special Assistant, (Media), Pastor
Bayo Oladeji, where he declared: “Enough of paying of lips service to
the menace of security challenges in the country.”
The
challenge thrown to Buhari by CAN was triggered by speculations on
Thursday that Sharibu had been killed by her abductors and also by the
video of the abducted aid workers released by ISWAP, in which Grace
pleaded for their rescue.
Ayokunle
said: “The primary duty of any serious government is the security of
lives and property of the governed. Any government that cannot guarantee
this primary responsibility may lose the confidence of the citizens.”
He
wondered how these six aid workers were abducted without the awareness
of the security agencies. “What has become of their intelligence
gathering? Are we sure there are no saboteurs among our security
agencies? Is there anything the government and the security agencies are
doing to stop this menace that we don’t know to avert its negative
effect, as some notorious people take laws into their hands? Asked the
CAN President.
According
to the statement, “CAN has watched a video of Boko Haram terrorists’
camp where Grace Taku appealed to the federal government, CAN, and other
well-meaning people to secure their freedom.”
Ayokunle
added: “We have heard the prompt response made by the federal
government to the save-our-soul cry of Grace and we join her in calling
on President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies, especially the
Department of State Security to secure her freedom, and that of Leah
Sharibu.
“We urge
the federal government to expedite action toward the captives’ release,
as in that of the Dapchi girls, except Leah Sharibu. We believe
strongly that Leah Sharibu is still alive, hale and hearty and she and
others must be set free from captivity.
“We
call on well-meaning people and agencies to join CAN in pleading with
our government and the security agencies to wake up from their slumber
before it will be too late. Our prayer is that the awesome God will come
to the aid of this country. He will free all the captives and comfort
all the bereaved of the killings in the country.”
He
recalled that sometime in April this year, the Boko Haram sect kidnapped
a National Youth Service Corps member, Abraham Amuta and a cleric with
Living Faith Church (Winners Chapel), identified as Pastor Moses Oyeleke
in Borno State, “and we have not heard anything about their
whereabouts.”
He said Grace Taku had cried out on behalf of hostages, like Amuta and Pastor Moses Oyeleke, “before getting too late”.
He
further noted: “We have been calling for a total overhaul of the
security apparatus of the country; and we have also asked the developed
nations to assist Nigeria in combating the challenges before the country
becomes unbearable.
“There
is no exaggeration to say Nigerian roads are unsafe as kidnappers,
terrorists, killer herdsmen and bandits are operating with impunity.”
Leah
Sharibu was one of the 110 schoolgirls kidnapped from Dapchi, Yobe State
by Boko Haram on February 19, 2018. She was the only one that the
insurgents denied freedom, when the federal government intervened,
because she refused to renounce her Christian faith.
Action
Against Hunger said in a statement that Grace Taku and the others were
abducted last week near the town of Damasak in Bornu State, by ISWAP
which released a video of the aid workers in captivity.
The
international aid agency confirmed that they had appeared in a video
released on Wednesday evening and that they were “apparently in a good
condition of health.”
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