Boko Haram: UniMaid female student abducted… Leah Sharibu hypnotised into marriage
A 100-level student of Zoology of the University of Maiduguri (UniMaid) Borno State, Miss Lillian Daniel Gyang, who was abducted alongside others two weeks ago, is still in the custody of Boko Haram terrorists,according to PRNigeria.
Quoting intelligence sources, the medium also reported that contrary to reports, Ms Leah Sharibu, who has been in the terrorist’s captivity since her abduction in 2018, was not forced into marriage but was rather enticed and hypnotised by one of the insurgents’ commanders.
PRNigeria gathered that efforts are being made by relevant agencies and stakeholders towards the safe release of the captives to the family.
Gyang, the 20-year-old female student hails from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA), of Plateau State. She is of Berom ethnic nationality and was abducted on January 9, 2020, on her way to Maiduguri alongside Mr. Ropvil Dalep, a Biology student at UNIMAID, who was later killed in a video released by Boko Haram.
Both undergraduates, were returning to UNIMAID after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Meanwhile, security services and negotiators were already aware since last year that Leah Sharibu was impregnated by one of the leaders of Boko terrorists but kept the circumstance secret as they assiduously worked towards her safe release from the custody.
An intelligence source reliably told PRNigeria that Leah, who has been in the custody of the dare-devil insurgents since February 2018, was not forcefully converted to a sex slave but wooed by one of top Boko Haram members.
Leah, the sole Christian among the initially abducted 110 students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College Dapchi, Yobe State, was ‘hypnotized’ by the ‘warm reception’ and ‘friendly manner’ she was been treated by the BH members who kept her in hostage.
The source said: “The insurgents and their commanders have since devised a clever, deceptive and persuasive way to entice and woo girls and women whom they love and separate them from those confined to forced labour and sex-slavery after their abduction.
“Leah Sharibu was not coaxed or forced to renounce her faith. According to the information, we gathered she willingly accepted the man and converted. She was not raped serially by anyone but willingly submitted herself to one of the insurgents through enticement.”
President of Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa a Nigeria (Church of the Brethren), Rev Joel Billi, was on Saturday, reported to have revealed that a journalist who has access to Boko Haram, Ahmad Salkida, told him Leah had become a mother.
The cleric said he got the call from Salkida, whom he had known Salkida as a young boy, on the same day the journalist announced the execution of the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Michika Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Rev Lawan Andimi, by Boko Haram.
Billi said, “Ahmed Salkida, whom I knew as a young boy when I was a pastor in Biu, called me to inform me that Andimi had been gruesomely murdered.
“I was also told by Ahmad Salkida that Leah Sharibu had given birth to a baby. I was devastated. I was staggering and almost fell down because I was shocked to hear that.
“I couldn’t absorb the shock because Leah Sharibu had become a symbol of the Christian faith. I consider her Christian faith stronger than even that of many church leaders.
“When I heard that Leah Sharibu was now a mother, I had to ask more than three times just to be sure. Ahmad Salkida said, ‘Leah Sharibu is now a mother.’”
However, Leah’s family has described reports that she had a baby boy in captivity as a rumour saying all they want is that she returns alive with or without a baby.
A senior lecturer at the Department of Political Science, University of Jos, Dr. Gloria Puldu, who speaks for the family, made this known to Punch.
Dismissing the reports, Puldu said, “I have seen reports that Leah had a baby boy. That is just a rumour as far as we are concerned. What we even desire is to see a proof of life so that we see Leah by ourselves. If they are able to have Leah safe, we will understand.
“The most important thing is that we want her to be alive. And if she is alive, we will praise God for that. They should release her, despite whatever condition she is in. That is all; it doesn’t matter whether she is pregnant or with a baby. Is it not better to have your child alive? So, it doesn’t matter, all we are interested in is her life and safety.
“I spoke with Jennifer, who was in Boko Haram captivity, last Monday or Tuesday. I was able to speak with her one-on-one and she told us that she did not see Leah in captivity, but she was with Alison Gada, who informed her that Leah was alive, healthy and not dead.”
THEWILL recalls that Leah was among 110 schoolgirls abducted on February 19, 2018 by Boko Haram terrorists from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi in Yobe State.
In March 2018, the Federal Government announced the insurgents had returned 106 of the kidnapped schoolchildren but that Leah was not among them.
It was reported that Leah, who was 14 years old at the time she was kidnapped, was not released because she refused to convert to Islam.
(With additional report from THEWILL)