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Leah Sharibu Gives Birth In Boko Haram Captivity
A journalist, who has direct access to Boko Haram central command, Ahmed Salkida, has confirmed that abducted Dapchi schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu, has given birth to a baby boy.
However, reports emerged last Saturday night that Leah was forcefully converted to Islam and married off to a top Boko Haram commander, who operates from Niger Republic.
She was also reported to have been delivered of the baby following her forceful marriage.
Confirming the news, Salkida, in a post on his Twitter page, yesterday, said, “Sharibu is now a mother”.
He, however, failed to disclose the gender of the child.
Salkida wrote: “Why, I wonder, do we pretend that leaving Leah behind won’t result in pregnancy?
“Since the terror group announced condemning her to slavery, is there any step or collective focus on preventing similar occurrences? She’s a mother, but I don’t know about the gender of the baby”, Salkida added.
But another source said that Leah gave birth to a baby boy early penultimate Saturday, adding that Leah was delivered of the baby in Niger Republic.
He added that the insurgents had wanted to release her few months ago but couldn’t because she was pregnant.
It would be recalled that Boko Haram had abducted Leah from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yunusari Local Government Area of Yobe State on February 19, 2018.
The abduction took place at 5:30 pm, when 110 schoolgirls aged 11–19 years old were kidnapped by the terrorist group Bulabulin, in Dapchi.
The kidnapping happened shortly after the military removed a checkpoint close to the school.
On March 21, 2018, the Federal Government announced that Boko Haram terrorists had returned 106 of the kidnapped children, including 104 girls who went to school, one girl who did not and a boy.
Leah, a Christian schoolgirl aged 14 at the time of her capture, is the only remaining Dapchi schoolgirl still held hostage.
Leah was reportedly not released along with the other children, because she refused to convert to Islam.
It is not clear whether Leah will be allowed to go by the terrorists having delivered a child for their commander.
The report will definitely exacerbate the worsening relations between the Muhammadu Buhari administration and the Christian leaders, who have mounted a local and international campaign for the release of Leah.
Last week, one of the aid workers freed by Boko Haram, Jennifer Ukambong Samuel, said Leah Sharibu was alive.
Jennifer, who was working for Action for International Medical Alliance when she was captured in December, last year, said she met another captive of the organization who claimed that Leah was alive and hidden in an undisclosed location at the fringes of Sambisa Forest between Chad and Niger republics.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
