A United States-based group, US-Nigeria Law Group, has lamented the plight of the abandoned Dapchi “heroine Christian” schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, with reports that she has given birth to a second child in captivity.

Leah was among 110 girls abducted by the terrorists group, Boko Haram from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, on February 19, 2018.

Convener of the US-Nigeria Law Group, Emmanuel Ogebe, said in a statement that “despite an offer by an American pastor last month to surrender himself in exchange for Leah’s freedom, there has been no tangible response from her captors.

“That notwithstanding, intelligence received on the status of Leah indicates that she has delivered a second child in captivity”.

“While we have not corroborated this by multiple sources, a usually knowledgeable source indicated that she delivered a second child late last year. This means both children were born in 2020 as the terrorists announced her childbirth earlier in 2020. We are still investigating this.”

The group also lamented the “full-scale onslaught on education in Nigeria by Islamist extremists: Boko Haram wars against education; bandits mass kidnap of children in school; and religious violence against Christian mission school owners in Ilorin over hijab controversy.”

To commemorate the March 21 third anniversary of the release of the Dapchi girls returned by their captors and “abandonment of Leah Sharibu”, the US group in its commemorative statement, said “until she is released, Leah remains a poster child and symbol of a failed state that can’t protect its children”.

“Not only have terrorists targeted schools but even the state government has targeted Christian schools in violation of the historical agreements reached on their rights as proprietors to maintain their ethos and credos.

“Also in Gombe state, the government has ignited, aided, abetted and incited religious violence against the majority Christian community of Tangale by appointing a Muslim who lost the election by kingmakers over the Christian who won and was better qualified not only as a medical doctor but one with significant international exposure, as chief.  The governor’s recorded remarks calling for arming of youths to shut down legitimate protesters makes him complicit for any atrocities that result.

“The reason why the US and UN do not as a principle negotiate with terrorists is not for lack of funds or concern but strategic – do not create a precedent that will make your citizens or diplomats become easy profit targets for kidnappers!

“We must have consequences under the rule of law. Instead foreign Fulanis can now monetize kidnapping Nigerians with impunity. Bad governance has consequences as does lack of principles. No nation  that makes a value system where terrorists are rewarded by the government and graduates are tortured by government’s SARS can thrive.

“This is why we told the ICC (International Criminal Court) that there’s no justice for terrorism in Nigeria. The government has created a hostage cottage industry and vulnerable schoolchildren are now being ranched and sold like cattle for the benefit of both the bandits and complicit beneficiaries and collaborators in government.”