Dapchi schoolgirl still in Boko Haram custody reportedly attempted to escape

dimeji akinloye

March 31, 2018 9:44 PM

Some of Leah's schoolmates said she attempted to escape alongside two other girls when they were all still in captivity.

The only Dapchi schoolgirl still in

On February 19, 2018, the terror group stormed the Government Girls' Science and Technical College, Dapchi in Yobe state and kidnapped 110 students.

One month later, following negotiations with the Federal Government, the terrorists released 104 girls - five of them reportedly died in captivity while Leah, a Christian, was deliberately not released because she refused to convert to Islam.

Some of her schoolmates said while they were all still in captivity, Leah attempted to sneak away with two other girls.

Speaking to UK Guardian, one of the girls, Aisha Ibiwa, said, "We thought she was just going round the corner, but she sneaked out, along with Maryam and Amira."

"They walked for three days, before meeting a family who rather than help them return to Dapchi, returned them to the Boko Haram militants," she added.

Another of Leah’s friends recalled that "the Fulani man (from the family) said to them, 'so you are the missing girls that we’ve heard about on the radio.' He gave them a jerrycan filled with cow's milk and brought them back.

"Leah and her group weren't flogged. They [Boko Haram] said it was because they had suffered a lot while trying to escape."

Call for Leah's release

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other prominent Nigerians have called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue Leah.

ALSO READ: Senator says negotiation ongoing for release of Christian Dapchi schoolgirl

Last weekend, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris had raised the hopes of Nigerians when he told journalists that the terrorists had agreed to release the girl and that they were already transporting her back to Dapchi as at the time he made the statement.

Barely 24 hours after the IGP's comment, the Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood claimed that the police boss was misquoted, adding that Idris was referring to the freed girls who were receiving medical attention and counseling in Abuja at the time.

dimeji akinloye