Leah Sharibu: IGP’s Conflicting Statements Causing Confusion

By ‘Dotun Akintomide

Residents of Dapchi in Yobe State are in a state of confusion and conundrum, over  conflicting statements made by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris on the return of Leah Sharibu, the only Christian girl still being held by Boko Haram.

The Inspector General of Poice, Ibrahim Idris, had confirmed, weekend, that the girl was on her way back.

Idris spoke when he visited Rogers Nicholas, Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

However, more than 18 hours after, Sharibu has not made it back to Dapchi.

A source said the insurgents took the girl to a neighbouring village, from where the military is expected to bring her back to the town she was kidnapped from.

Many residents were also said to have fled the town on Saturday after they heard that Boko Haram was returning with Sharibu.
The military reportedly went round to calm the people, assuring them of their safety.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, recanted, yesterday, saying he never said Leah Sharibu would be released soon.

In a statement in Abuja, force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, denied having any information about Sharibu’s release, saying the IG was misunderstood.

It said: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to the publication on some social media platforms and conventional media indicating that the Inspector-General of Police said the last Dapchi schoolgirl will be released soon.

“The statement of the IGP was misunderstood and misquoted. The misunderstanding may be as a result of the already released Dapchi schoolgirls expected back home in Yobe State today (yesterday) but could not arrive due to weather condition.

“The IGP could not also proceed to Dapchi because of same weather condition. The Force wishes members of the public and the media to disregard the purported statement as not what the IGP meant. The Force, therefore, reiterates that it has no information yet on the release of the last Dapchi schoolgirl.”

Boko Haram had last Wednesday released 104 of the 110 students of Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, abducted on February 19.

While five of the students died, Boko Haram insurgents returned 104 to the town on Wednesday but the insurgents did not release Sharibu because she refused to renounce her Christian faith.