Leah’s audio has strengthened our hope – Father

                        
The father of Leah, the only Christian Dapchi schoolgirl still held in the insurgents’ captivity, Mr Nathan Sharibu, yesterday said he and his wife were relieved and encouraged by their daughter's voice in a released audio message.


An online publication, TheCable, had obtained a 35 second audio by Leah, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to secure her release from the Boko Haram den.


Confirming the audio to Daily Trust, her father said: “The audio has encouraged me as a man. For over 190 days, I entered the internet every day to see if I can find a clue about her. I and her mother, had felt a bit relieved and encouraged by the audio,” he said.


He said that the mother cried profusely upon hearing the voice of her daughter, "I had to calm her down. It was like a mixed feeling for her, she was happy that our daughter is alive, but sad that we could not secure her release,” he said.


Sheribu, who appreciated the support of Dapchi community, said nobody from the government side had called to sympathize with the family since the girls’ abduction.


“I felt so much neglected by the state and federal governments, but will forever remain indebted to my Christian and Muslims friends, especially Dapchi people that kept praying for her release ever since she was abducted," he said.


He begged the insurgents to pardon and release his daughter Leah as they did the other 105 girls seven month ago


“They should know that she is a very little child. I am begging them to free her. For the government, they should do their possible best to ensure that she's released as was done for the 104 girls that had been reunited with their families", he said.


Leah’s mother, Rebecca Sharibu, said the audio had allayed her fear that her daughter might have died.


She said while watching the video, she noticed how stressed and emaciated her daughter was in the clip.


“From her face, I noticed that she's became extremely thin and distressed. I just started crying,” she revealed.


She said that despite Leah's predicament, she still pleaded with people to help her family overcome their challenging situation.


“She pleaded with members of the public to help me, her father and her younger brother Donald. She's aware of the condition we found ourselves,” she sobbed.