LEAH SHARIBU: RANSOM OFFER DETAILS EMERGE AS HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER REVEALS FAILED NEGOTIATION

Fresh reports indicate that Leah Sharibu, the Christian schoolgirl held captive since 2018, may have been offered for release if a ransom was paid, according to international human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe. The disclosure was shared following the eighth anniversary of her abduction, where it was stated that members of Boko Haram had reportedly opened a channel proposing her release in exchange for payment. However, as of press time, there has been no official confirmation from the Federal Government of Nigeria regarding the claim.

Leah Sharibu was abducted in February 2018 alongside other schoolgirls from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State. While most of the girls were later released, Sharibu was reportedly held back after refusing to renounce her Christian faith — a decision that has since made her a global symbol of resilience and religious conviction. Over the years, her continued captivity has drawn condemnation from religious groups, civil society organisations, and international human rights advocates. Campaigns calling for her release have echoed across Nigeria and beyond, keeping public attention fixed on her case.

According to Ogebe, who spoke from Mexico on the eighth anniversary of her abduction, hostage negotiators had established contact with the terrorists through a network of global jihadi intermediaries, leading to a face-to-face meeting between an anti-human trafficking NGO and top terror leaders. Unfortunately, the ransom amount was too excessive for the NGO, and the talks to secure her release subsequently failed. Ogebe disclosed that the amount requested by Boko Haram for Leah’s ransom was almost triple the amount paid by the Nigerian government for the 102 Chibok girls who were ransomed back, reported to be €3 million. He further disclosed that the terrorists involved in the original negotiations have since died, making the likelihood of further negotiations slim unless her current captors establish communication.

“My understanding is that of course the NGO concerned did not have such an amount to pay for Leah’s freedom but more importantly did not want to fund the terrorists to unleash even more weapons and death on others. However, my sources believe that the terrorists asked for such a huge amount then not to buy arms but because they were considering abandoning terrorism and fleeing with the money to take care of themselves well abroad. They did not trust the government’s amnesty program because they said some government officials sponsored them so if they surrendered they would be eliminated to protect their secret. Incidentally all three Boko Haram leaders involved in the negotiations for Leah have since died. If their demands had been more reasonable maybe Leah would’ve been their salvation and their ticket out alive,” Ogebe said.

The latest report raises complex and urgent questions. Security analysts have long warned that ransom payments to terrorist groups can strengthen their operational capacity, potentially financing further attacks or abductions. At the same time, supporters and advocates argue that saving a life should remain the highest priority. The international community has previously called for sustained pressure on extremist groups operating in northeastern Nigeria, but concrete diplomatic or rescue breakthroughs regarding Sharibu’s case have remained elusive.

As this development unfolds, Nigerians and global observers alike await official clarification and a decisive course of action.