Leah Sharibu in August, 2018.
On February 19th, 2018, members of a Boko Haram faction entered the town of Dapchi and ordered 110 schoolgirls into trucks. (An initial report on the abduction is available here.) Just over a year later, one of these girls remains in captivity because of her Christian faith.
The original attack reflected the group's opposition to any formal education, particularly when granted to girls. A month after the attack, 104 of the students were released with strong warnings to stay away from school. Five had unfortunately died during the incident. However, one of the surviving girls, Leah Sharibu, was denied freedom from captivity.
The only Christian in the group, Leah was singled out by the terrorists. They told the young believer that she would be released if she denied her faith in Christ. Even still, Leah refused to compromise. In the months to follow, the terrorists made demands for a ransom payment. Yet, in October, they issued a statement that Leah would be kept as a "slave for life" instead. Since then, there has been little to no communication about her.
On the anniversary of her captivity, a representative of the Leah Sharibu Foundation stated, "We cannot forget about her today. Petition God, in prayer and fasting, for Leah's release and freedom of religion."
Please join along with others around the world in intercession for Leah's safe release, as well as other captives who are being held by Boko Haram. May the Lord use this teen girl's unwavering testimony to encourage believers throughout Nigeria, while also speaking to the hearts of her captors. As Nigeria faces presidential elections this weekend, pray that God's Spirit will move among the country's leadership, encouraging these governmental leaders to stand firmly against the inhumane actions of rebel groups.
Population
