BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in the 19 Northern States and Abuja, has condemned in very strong terms the statements by the Nigerian embassy in Washington D.C, United States, accusing the mother of Leah Sharibu, Mrs. Rebecca Sharibu and three others of making false claims against the federal government.
The Northern CAN described the embassy statement as expressed by the Senior Counsellor and Head of Chancery to the Nigeria Ambassador to the USA, Mohammed Suleiman as insensitive, inhuman and irresponsible,
The embassy through Mohammed Suleiman had on June 30, 2019, protested against a recent event in the United States that was hosted by Heritage Foundation, and accused some victims of terrorism and farmers/herders conflict in northern Nigeria of making false claims against the federal government.
The Heritage Foundation had on June 11, 2019, invited the mother of Leah that is still in Boko Haram captivity as well as two other victims of terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, Alheri Bawa Magaji and Napoleon Adamu to Washington DC to share their experiences.
The Nigerian Embassy in the protest letter by one Mohammed Suleiman, claimed that the four victims, including Mrs. Sharibu gave false and uncorroborated allegations about their experiences at the event.
But, the vice chairman of Northern CAN, Rev. Joseph Hayab, in a reaction expressed shock at the statement of the Nigerian embassy in the United States and urged the federal government to sanction Sulaiman for such unguarded statements in addition to his tendering unreserved apology to Mrs. Sharibu and others for narrating their painful experiences which he (Sulaimen) claimed were false.
Hayab noted that in the past one year, Leah’s mother has been in ceaseless pain and trauma, crying for help for the release of her daughter, stressing that such utterances could only come from people without human feelings.
CAN called on the federal government to do everything possible to ensure the release of Leah, adding that Nigerians know that the terrorists released other girls that were abducted with Leah, but refused to release her because she refused to convert to Islam.
Hayab asked; “How could any humane and sensible person, described such experience as false? This is a woman that has been crying out for help for the release of her daughter, what we expect from that embassy staff is to console her, to calm her down and assure her that government is doing everything to get her daughter.”
He said the federal government or the ministry of Foreign Affairs must take action against whoever issued that statement, adding, “These are the kinds of people that are creating disaffection in Nigeria and making people think bad of our country.”
Hayab further said; “Such statements seemed to confirm insinuations in some quarters that there is a lie going on in this government. If this woman has been crying out for help in the past one year, all you should say is to assure that something is being done to ensure the release of her daughter.
“But to say that she lied is an insult. The federal government must compel that embassy staff to apologise because I don’t think the federal government asked him to make the statement.
“Even if the federal government asked him to do that, then they should apologise because it is an assault on people who are facing persecution in a country that is facing security challenges.
“Leah’s mother has a right to cry out and express her fears the way she wants,” Hayab insisted.
