A college lecturer and 10 other persons who were recently kidnapped by Boko Haram have appeared in a video, shared by their abductors, asking the Nigerian government to come to their rescue.
The abductees said they are all Christians and from Yobe State. They want the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to also help secure their freedom.
In the one and a half minutes video, one of the abductees, Bitrus Bwala, who identified himself as a principal lecturer at the College of Education Gashua, in Yobe State, spoke on behalf of the others.
“I was on my way to my station on the 27th of November 2019 when I was abducted by the Tilafa army (Boko Haram),” said Mr Bwala.
“I appeal to the federal government to come to our aid.”
Mr Bwala said the lives of he and the other captives were not safe because all 11 of them are Christians. He, therefore, called on CAN to also intervene to save their lives.
“As you can see sitting behind me are fellow Christians who were abducted at various different points and brought to this place,” he said.
“I, equally, appeal to the Christian Association of Nigeria to do whatever they could do within their reach to come and rescue us; because when we came here, we saw some workers here, especially workers of food organizations…but they were later executed…(sobs)…”
Mr Bwala also said Leah Sharibu, one of the 110 schoolgirls kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe State, was still with the abductors.
While all the other girls were released after negotiations with the federal government, Miss Sharibu was not released allegedly for refusing to denounce her Christian faith.
“We also say that the government has not done enough, that is why Leah Sharibu is still with this group,” Mr Bwala said.
“We, therefore, appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to do whatever…it takes to come to our rescue.”
The video also showed a veiled female whose face was blurred to ostensibly conceal her identity. It is not clear if the lady was Leah Sharibu.
(Premium Times)
