Reactions has trailed the comments made by Garba Shehu, the Spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, on one of the kidnapped Dapchi School girls.
Leah Sharibu is of the Dapchi School girls kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe State on February 19, 2018. Although, most of the girls were later freed after some negotiations but Leah Sharibu, a Christian girl who refused to denounced her Faith is still in the den of the terrorists.
Describing the kidnapped girl as ‘Unfortunate Christian School Girl’, Garba said Leah was stolen by Boko Haram.
The drama started when Reno Omokri, former spokesman to former President Goodluck Jonathan, called out Garba Shehu over claim that Nigeria is safer under his principal, President Buhari unlike the former administration of Jonathan.
Omokri, challenged Shehu to spend a night without his security details in Koshobe in Maiduguri or Kware in Sokoto States. He added that he will gift him (Shehu) $20,000 if he agree to his challenge.
“I vow to pay Garba Shehu $20000 if he will spend a night without security in Koshobe, or Kware, verified by an independent journalist.” Omokri wrote on twitter.
Garba Shehu said General @MBuhari has made Nigeria safer. I vow to pay @GarShehu $20000 if he will spend a night without security in Koshobe, or Kware, verified by an independent journalist. I will give the funds to @DeleMomodu when Garba accepts to go
Retweet so Garba sees this
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) December 23, 2020
Omokri went further to say he will be giving the money to an Independent Journalist to ensure he is ready to the challenge.
“I will give the funds to Dele Momodu when Garba accepts to go.”
Reacting Garba Shehu described Leah Sharibu as an Unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram terrorists, his comments is contrary to the facts that Leah was kidnapped alongside other 110 school girls in Dapchi, Yobe State in February 19, 2018.
He said; “If this is the money from the collections made in the name of Leah Sharibu, the unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram, I won’t touch it with a long. Please keep “your USD20000”.
If this is the money from the collections made in the name of Leah Sharibu, the unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram, I won’t touch it with a long. Please keep “your USD20000”. https://t.co/zn4NC24L9X
— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) December 23, 2020
You’re heartless, arrogant and bigoted
Former aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has described Garba Shehu as heartless and arrogant and heartless fellow over his comments on Leah.
In a series of twitter post, Kayode said,
In response to a legitimate & interesting challenge from my friend & brother @renoomokri, the former spokesman to @GEJonathan, @GarShehu , the spokesman for to @MBuhari, has described the great Leah Sharibu as the "unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram". 1/6 pic.twitter.com/3Ub0wNzkrx
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) December 23, 2020
“In response to a legitimate & interesting challenge from my friend & brother @renoomokri, the former spokesman to @GEJonathan, @GarShehu , the spokesman for to @MBuhari, has described the great Leah Sharibu as the “unfortunate Christian girl stolen by Boko Haram”.
*As far as he is concerned Leah has no name but she is just an “unfortunate Christian girl”. The presidential spokesman is heartless, arrogant, insensitive & bigoted. Would he have spoken like this about Leah if she was a Muslim? Why did feel the need to mention her faith?
“Does the fact that she is Christian make her a lesser Nigerian? Is she a chattel or a piece of property that can be described as being “stolen”? Is she not a human being too? Or is the fact that she is Christian or that she is a female make her less human?
“Nigerians deserve far better than this. The Christian community in Nigeria deserves far better too! This is an insult on every Christian & every right-thinking Nigerian. May God judge and punish Shehu Garba and those he represents for speaking in this way about Leah, who is one of the greatest Christian heroes that Nigeria has ever known and a deeply courageous soul who sacrificed her liberty (and possibly her life) by standing proudly for her faith and refusing to convert to Islam even at the point of a knife and gun.
“What we need in Nigeria are a few Samir Geagea’s, the leader of the old Lebanese Kataeb Regulatory Forces & Christian Falange (Uwait). If u want to know more about him & them & the role they played in fighting Islamic fundamentalism in the Lebanese civil war, google it or go to Lebanon and find out.
“To attempt to insult, demean or belittle a Christian hero like Leah simply because you do not share her faith is inexcusable and unforgivable. This is the turning point and we will never forget it.
