Buhari receives released Dapchi girls today

• Vows not to abandon lone remainder, Sharibu

By Lawrence Olaoye

President Muhammadu Buhari will today officially receive the 101 girls released by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday.
This is coming as the President has vowed that he would employ the same vigor and commitment which ensured the release of the girls to ensure that the only remainder in the insurgents’ captivity, Leah Sharibu, regains her freedom soon.
Sharibu was said to have been held back by her captors on her resolve not to be forcefully converted to Islam.
The insurgents had on February 19 abducted 110 girls from the Government Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. Five of the girls were said to have lost their lives in captivity.
The President, in a statement made available to newsmen by his Spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, states that his administration will not relent in efforts to bring Leah Sharibu safely back home to her parents, as it has done for the other girls, after she was held back by the terrorists over her decision, as reported, not to convert from Christianity to Islam.
According to him, the President was fully conscious of his duty under the constitution to protect all Nigerians, irrespective of faith, ethnic background or geopolitical location, and will not shirk in this responsibility.
He wrote: “The President is equally mindful of the fact that true followers of Islam all over the world respect the injunction that there is no compulsion in religion. To this effect, no one or group can impose its religion on another.
“His heart goes out to the isolated parents who must watch others rejoice while their own daughter is still away.
“The lone Dapchi girl, Leah, will not be abandoned.”
President Buhari assures the Sharibu family that he will continue to do all he can to ensure that they also have cause to rejoice with their daughter soon.