by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Christian leaders gathered in Abuja, Nigeria on Sunday for a special prayer event that commemorated the fifth year in captivity of Leah Sharibu, a Christian school girl who was abducted by Boko Haram Islamic terrorists, and who remains in captivity because she refused to renounce her faith, Christian Persecution reports.
The Leah Foundation and the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Foundation organized the event.
Aged 14 at the time, Leah was one of 110 students kidnapped from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Nigeria’s Yobe State on 19 February 2018. Five of the girls were killed on the day of the abduction. Except Leah, the other students were released in March 2018, following negotiations conducted on their behalf.
Addressing Sunday’s gathering in a keynote speech, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, said: “It is a testament to the power of faith and courage in the face of adversity that is synonymous to the Christian faith. It is a tragic reminder of the reality of religious persecution going on in the country. This year marks five years since the horrific event took place and Leah is still in captivity”
“Leah Sharibu’s case is just one out of the numerous cases of faith-based persecution going on in Nigeria almost on a daily basis,” Okoh reminded.