Leah Sharibu’s death can give an open invitation to religious war – CAN

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has said the death of Leah Sharibu, the lone Dapchi Girl still in captivity, can spell doom for Nigeria, Punch reports.

Adebayo Oladeji, the Special Assistant (Media and Communications) to CAN President,  said this in an interview.

The girl must not die, he said, as it can give an open invitation to a religious war in the country. He said:

Recently, CAN called out its members to demand for her release. We have addressed a press conference calling for her release. At every opportunity any church leader has to speak to the public, they demand her release.

We are doing a lot of things we cannot be disclosing to the public. Our concern includes the silence of the media and the civil society organisations thinking Leah Sharibu is a CAN affair. How many editorials have been written about her plight?

CAN will not cease the agitation for the release of all the abductees, including Leah Sharibu. Let all and sundry rise up against the failure of the security agencies and ask President Muhammadu Buhari to wake up from his slumber before the terrorists and herdsmen finish the country.

Leah Sharibu must not die. Her death, God forbids, can spell doom for Nigeria. It can give an open invitation to religious war because Leah is being detained purely because of her religion.

Likewise, the National Publicity Secretary of the Pentecostal Christian Association, Emmah Isong, said the peace of the country hangs on the federal government’s promise to secure Sharibu’s release. He said:

We can tell you that the peace of this country hangs on the Federal Government’s promise to secure the release of Leah Sharibu. She has become an ambassador of Christianity to the Republic of Boko Haram and we are demanding that she returns home safely to her parents.

All Nigerian youths are waiting to see what the Federal Government will do. Our constitution, which requires the government to be a protector of lives and property, will be called to question if Leah is not released. We do hope that with our prayers and the concern of all Nigerians, including Christians and Muslims, Leah would be released very soon by the grace of God.