By Pascal Oparada
A British member of parliament has launched a protest outside the Nigerian High Commission in London to free kidnapped Nigerian school girl, Leah Sharibu, who friends say has been held in captivity by Boko Haram for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
Liberal Democrat MP, Tom Brake, is staging a sit-in outside the Nigerian High Commission in Central London to demand the unconditional release of Leah who has been in captivity for 200 days.
Boko Haram freed other schoolgirls after government negotiations, but Leah was kept behind.
“There cannot be a clearer example of someone whose human rights are being ignored than that of Leah who is being detained just because she has maintained her Christian faith,” Brake said in an email interview with CNN.
He twitted, “Outside the Nigerian High Commission launching the #freeleah campaign. Leah, who is still held captive by Boko Haram, because she refused to recant her Christian faith, has been held for 198 days,” he said.
Brake is taking part in the protest organised by an advocacy group, Church World Service that would last 200 hours marking the 200 days Leah, who turned 15, has been in captivity.
Organisers said members would take turns to sit at a school desk placed in front of the High Commission office with Leah’s portrait.