…I stand by my promise — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to continue to seek and secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists regardless of their creeds. He made the promise in a statement which he personally signed and released yesterday in Abuja on the second anniversary of the Dapchi incident. The Boko Haram terrorist group had on […]

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to continue to seek and secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists regardless of their creeds.

He made the promise in a statement which he personally signed and released yesterday in Abuja on the second anniversary of the Dapchi incident.

The Boko Haram terrorist group had on February 19, 2018, kidnapped 110 schoolgirls from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State.

The group subsequently released all the schoolgirls except Leah Sharibu, the only Christian among the captives.

The president, while speaking on the incident, said no person has the right to force another to change their faith against their will as all life is sacred.

Buhari, who said all Nigerians have the same worth and rights before the law before God, promised to redouble efforts for Leah’s return.

He said terrorists would never be allowed to divide Nigerians along religious line.

Buhari said, “Two years ago, 110 innocent children from the town of Dapchi were taken, against their will, by the terrorists of Boko Haram. 107 survived the ordeal. Today all but one – Leah Sharibu – are returned to their families.

“Now aged 16, Leah remains in the hands of the terrorists – they say because she refuses to renounce her Christian faith.

“We say, as the government for and of all Nigerians, that no person has the right to force another to change their faith against their will and that all life is sacred.

“This government continues and seeks to secure the release of all children and captives of terrorists – and we do so regardless of their creed or the name of their creator.

“As we redouble our efforts for Leah’s return, we can never allow the terrorists to divide us – Christian against Muslim, Muslim against Christian. We are all Sons of Abraham. And all Nigerians have the same worth and rights before the law, and before God.”