Terrorists deny Christian Dapchi girl freedom for not converting

Boko Haram terrorists have refused to release Leah Sharibu, one of the 110 schoolgirls abducted from a secondary school in Dapchi, last month, because she refused to convert from her Christian religion to Islam.

This claim was made by Leah's father, Nathan Sharibu, while speaking during an interview after news emerged that the terrorists had driven the abducted girls back to Dapchi on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.

Nathan said his 15-year-old daughter was not released by the terrorist group because she refused to renounce her Christian faith like they demanded.

He said he discovered this after speaking to some of the released girls on the phone and that he's proud of his daughter's decision.

He said, "Right now, I'm not in Dapchi. I'm in my duty post. I called the parents who are in Dapchi. I was informed that my daughter was not released. All of them have been released but they said some were dead there, but my daughter is alive.

"They said she was a Christian that's why they could not release her. They said she cannot be released until she becomes a Muslim. And my daughter said she would never be a Muslim.

"I spoke with about five to six of them whose daughters have been released. They are presently with their daughters in Dapchi. They were dropped by the Boko Haram people in Dapchi town this morning.

"I am happy because my daughter did not denounce her faith. They refused to release her because she refused to convert to Islam."

101 girls confirmed freed

The Federal Government had earlier confirmed that 101 out of the abducted 110 schoolgirls have already been confirmed to be free.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed had earlier issued updates where he initially said 76 had been documented, before updating it to 91 girls and one boy.

During the previous update, he said, "Many of the children that were released were not dropped in one place - they were dropped on the road. They went back, naturally, to their parents houses and are now being asked to come and be documented at the centre."

He disclosed that the girls were released through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country, and that it was unconditional.

He said, "For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option.

''Within the period when the girls were being brought back, operational pause was observed in certain areas to ensure free passage and also that lives were not lost."

He said the number of the freed girls would be updated after the remaining ones have been documented.

Dapchi abduction

Boko Haram militants invaded Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School in Dapchi, Bursari local government area of Yobe on Monday, February 19, 2018, and abducted 110 schoolgirls.

According to accounts by residents, the terrorists invaded the town around 7 pm in over 18 gun trucks mounted with high caliber weapons.

The abduction was a repeat of another Boko Haram attack that happened when militants invaded Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok and kidnapped 276 female students in April 2014.

After several escapes and releases, 112 of the girls remain in captivity of the deadly terrorist group.