Boko Haram ‘must not harm’ Leah Sharibu

Global Amnesty Watch (GAW), a human rights group, has asked the government to clamp down on Boko Haram members and ensure that no harm befalls Leah Sharibu, the only Christian among the 119 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe state, abducted in February.

The group said this after Boko Haram murdered of Saifura Khorsa, a Red Cross aid worker and threatened Sharibu.

TheCable had reported how Khorsa whom was kidnapped alongside two other health workers, was killed.

The insurgents said they decided to kill her because of the refusal of government to accede to their request.

In a statement on Tuesday, the group said Boko Haram’s latest strike could be out of frustration for the successes of the Nigerian troops.

“We condemn the killing of Red Cross aid worker, Saifura Khorsa by Boko Haram and threat to harm abducted schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu.

“Killing Saifura might have been Boko Haram’s desperate measure to keep sowing terror in the hearts of people but it is one the entire world must make them regret by collectively exacting justice.

“There are other ways the sponsors of this group and its fighters could have expressed their frustration at the serial defeat in the hands of the Nigerian military without harming civilian captives, which contravenes all known conventions and even the provision of Islam that Boko Haram claims as its inspiration.

“Boko Haram must take seriously the warning that nothing must happen to Leah Sharibu with the other aid workers, Hauwa Mohammed Liman and Alice Loksha as this would be crossing a red line that would cause the world to demand the application of the stiffest response yet against whatever is left of the group.”

The group questioned certain individuals and groups that had advocated conciliatory approach to the menace.

“The Global Amnesty Watch calls on groups and individuals that had advocated conciliatory approach in dealing with Boko Haram to at this time accept responsibility for reining in their minions since they share in the responsibility for the death of the aid worker and whatever happens to those still in captivity. The usual claim to have connections in the terror group is now being put to test.

“We charge foreign organizations and nations that have continued to overtly or covertly support Boko Haram to, for the sake of humanity, allow the killing of Saifura Khorsa and the threat to harm other captives to prick their conscience into realizing there is no strategic objective that is important enough to continue promoting conditions that allows remnants of Boko Haram space to continue inflicting pain on people.

“While supporting any measures taken to ensure the safe return of the hostages still in Boko Haram captivity, we urge the Nigerian government to acknowledge that the time for being temperate in blotting out what Boko Haram stands for is over as the group has repeatedly shown that it is evil in its undiluted form. It must therefore prepare contingent measures to visit the harshest consequences possible on the terrorists should anything happen to those they are holding.”