Leah Sharibu,heCable.
The Special Assistant to Nigeria’s President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says only God knows when Leah Sharibu, the kidnapped Dapchi girl, will be rescued.
The teenage girl had in an audio obtained by TheCable, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to save her from captivity.
“I am Leah Sharibu, the girl that was abducted in GGSS Dapchi. I am calling on the government and people of goodwill to intervene to get me out of my current situation,” she said.
Famzn News recalls that the 119 girls who were captured were subsequently released, except five who reportedly died in detention, but Sharibu was held back for “refusing to renounce her faith.”
When asked to give a time-frame for Sharibu’s rescue, Adesina who appeared on a Channels TV programme on Tuesday, said God is the sole determit of her return.
“For how much longer, I think that question can only be answered by God. I believe that God is interested in that young girl and will ensure that she is preserved,” Adesina said.
“I think when that clip that we have is verified, at least one will be sure that it’s her and when that is determined, we should all be glad that she is alive.
“When will she return? By the grace of God, the government is working on it and we believe she will be back.”
Adesina said President Muhammadu Buhari had made a commitment to do anything to rescue the kidnapped girls even if it means paying for their release.
The presidential spokesman said: “One thing we should always remember, as Nigerians, is that early in the life of this administration, then it was Chibok girls, the president stated that whatever it will take to get the girls back including paying, he would do. It’s on record.”
He, however, denied reports that the government paid a ransom for the release of the other 110 girls.
“That is not confirming that there was payment on Dapchi because the then DG of DSS was categorical the day the girls were brought back and it was in public glare that no a dime was paid for Dapchi girls. On Dapchi, there was no payment,” he said.
As stated by presidential spokesman, reaching out to the Sharibu family is not “a presidency matter”.
“I expect that the Yobe state government is doing that. In Nigeria, they expect the presidency to do everything,” he also said.