We are Nathan and Rebecca Sharibu, the parents of Leah Sharibu. Today, as organizations within the Religious Liberty Partnership gather under the powerful banner of “Voices for Justice” to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, we speak with heavy hearts but unwavering hope.
Our daughter Leah, abducted as a 14-year-old Christian schoolgirl from the Government Girls Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, on February 19, 2018, remains in the captivity of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists for more than eight long years.
Leah was taken alongside 109 other girls. Most were eventually released, but our daughter was held back solely because she refused to renounce her Christian faith and convert to Islam. She stood firm in her belief, choosing to remain true to Christ even at the cost of her freedom.
For this courage, she has endured unimaginable hardship in the wilderness, reports from those who escaped speak of forced marriage, repeated trauma, childbirths in captivity, and the constant shadow of sexual violence used as a weapon of war and control.
As her parents, every day without Leah is a wound that deepens. We miss her and her dreams of a better future. Birthdays pass in silence, milestones are stolen, and our family lives with a pain no words can fully capture. Yet we hold onto our faith. We believe, as we have always told Leah and the world, that God who sees the oppressed will bring her home. Rebecca often says, our request morning and night is that people continue to pray and speak for Leah.
This International Day reminds the world that sexual violence in conflict is not an unfortunate side effect of war, it is a deliberate tactic of terror, a crime against humanity that destroys lives, families, and communities. Leah’s continued captivity is a stark symbol of this evil. She is not just a statistic; she is our daughter, a young woman of faith whose body and spirit have been subjected to years of exploitation because she would not deny Jesus.
We call on the Nigerian government, regional leaders, the international community, and all people of conscience to intensify efforts for Leah’s immediate and unconditional release. Negotiations, diplomatic pressure, intelligence sharing, and targeted rescue operations must not fade. Leah’s freedom is a matter of national urgency and moral imperative. Her case highlights the broader plight of countless girls and women suffering in similar conflicts across Nigeria and beyond.
To Leah, wherever you are, we love you beyond measure. We are proud of your steadfast faith. Stay strong. Help is coming. The voices for justice are rising.
We thank the ‘Voices for Justice’ community – the Religious Liberty Partnership and all participating organizations for shining a light on these forgotten captives and for giving us this platform to be heard. May this day strengthen global resolve to end sexual violence in conflict and bring every Leah home.