#EndTheSilence: Standing for Leah Sharibu in Nigeria
- 21 Wilberforce
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
Graphic credit: The Roys Report
#EndTheSilence: Standing for Leah Sharibu and Nigeria’s Missing Christian Women and Girls
June 4, 2026
Eight years ago, a 14-year-old Nigerian girl disappeared into captivity because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. Today, Leah Sharibu remains missing—and the world must not forget her.
On June 18, Christian Freedom International, Jubilee Campaign, and 21Wilberforce will join with advocates, faith leaders, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and concerned citizens outside the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., for the #EndTheSilence rally—a public call for action on behalf of Leah Sharibu and the many Christian women and girls who remain missing, captive, or vulnerable to violence in Nigeria.
The rally is part of the Religious Liberty Partnership’s (RLP) collaborative advocacy platform, Voices4Justice (V4J), which mobilizes organizations to speak with one voice for justice, dignity, and freedom for vulnerable communities facing violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Leah’s continued captivity has become one of the world’s most recognized cases of religious persecution and a stark reminder of the ongoing violations of freedom of religion or belief facing vulnerable communities in Nigeria.
Held in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, the rally seeks to draw renewed attention to the ongoing abuses suffered by women and girls in Nigeria’s conflict-affected regions.
This year’s campaign focuses on a name that has become known around the world: Leah Sharibu.
Eight Years in Captivity
On February 19, 2018, 14-year-old Leah Sharibu was kidnapped by militants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during an attack on the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State, Nigeria. Leah was abducted alongside 109 other schoolgirls. Most of the girls were eventually released, while some died in captivity. Leah, however, was never freed after reportedly refusing to renounce her Christian faith and convert to Islam. Today, she remains the only known captive from that attack still held by her abductors.
For eight years, Leah’s parents have endured the agony of not knowing when—or if—they will see their daughter again. Eight years of missed birthdays, family celebrations, and milestones. Eight years during which Leah has grown from a teenage girl into a young woman while separated from her family and community.
When Leah was abducted, her story captured international attention and renewed global concern about schoolgirl kidnappings in Nigeria. Yet as the years have passed, many fear that the world has largely forgotten Leah and others like her.
One notable exception has been the tireless advocacy of the Leah-Foundation, established by Nigerian human rights advocate Gloria Puldu. Through public awareness campaigns, survivor support initiatives, and ongoing engagement with policymakers and international stakeholders, the Foundation has worked to ensure that Leah’s plight—and the suffering of countless other abducted women and girls—is not forgotten. Their efforts serve as a powerful reminder that sustained advocacy remains essential until Leah and others like her are safely reunited with their families.
The Voices4Justice campaign seeks to build upon these efforts by mobilizing churches, advocacy organizations, and concerned citizens around the world to speak with one voice on behalf of those whose cries for freedom have too often gone unheard.
Leah’s Story Is Not an Isolated Case
While Leah’s case is unique in its visibility, her experience reflects a much larger crisis affecting women and girls across Nigeria’s conflict-affected regions.
Christian women and girls continue to face abduction, forced marriage, sexual violence, trafficking, coercion, and forced religious conversion at the hands of extremist groups and armed militants. Many cases go unreported. Survivors often receive little support, while perpetrators frequently operate with impunity.
The recently published report Hijacking Innocence documents the experiences of young Christian girls who were abducted, forcibly converted, and subjected to abuse. Their stories reveal a troubling pattern: families pleading for help, authorities failing to act, and local activists risking their own safety to rescue victims and support traumatized survivors.
Among these stories is Ruth, who was forced into motherhood after being raped by a Boko Haram militant. Another survivor, Rebecca, emerged from captivity determined to continue the education that had been violently interrupted years earlier. Joy, abducted while returning home from school, endured forced conversion, sexual abuse, and confinement before eventually being rescued after relentless efforts by her family.
These stories remind us that Leah’s captivity is not merely an individual tragedy. It is a symbol of a broader humanitarian and human rights crisis that continues to affect countless women and girls throughout Nigeria.
A Global Call to End the Silence
The Voices4Justice campaign recognizes that prayer and advocacy must go hand in hand.
This year’s campaign coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict and seeks to draw renewed international attention to the plight of Leah Sharibu and other missing women and girls.
Leah’s story has become a powerful reminder of the suffering endured by many women and girls subjected to violence, forced marriage, and captivity in conflict-affected regions of Nigeria.
The June 18 rally will call on Nigerian authorities to:
Intensify efforts to secure the safe release and return of Leah Sharibu and all other abducted women and girls.
Provide appropriate medical, psychosocial, and reintegration support for survivors.
Conduct prompt, impartial, and thorough investigations into abductions, sexual violence, and forced marriage.
Arrest and prosecute perpetrators.
Strengthen protection for vulnerable communities through accountable and adequately resourced security measures.
Organizers will deliver a letter outlining these requests to His Excellency Lateef Kayode Kolawole Are, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States.
Voices4Justice: Speaking with One Voice
The #EndTheSilence rally is part of Voices4Justice, an advocacy platform launched by the Religious Liberty Partnership to unite organizations around shared concerns involving freedom of religion or belief.
Rather than working independently, participating organizations collaborate to amplify awareness, advocate for victims, and encourage meaningful action from governments and international institutions. The campaign reflects a simple conviction: when communities speak together, their voices carry further.
Last year’s Voices4Justice campaign, #ReleaseThe7, focused international attention on imprisoned religious freedom advocates. This year, Voices4Justice is mobilizing advocates around the world to ensure that Leah Sharibu and Nigeria’s missing girls are not forgotten.
As one Voices4Justice prayer resource reminds participants, “there are moments when a single story captures the suffering of thousands. One name can represent countless lives affected by violence, injustice, and loss.” Leah’s story has become such a story—a reminder of the countless women and girls whose names may never appear in headlines but whose lives matter deeply.
At its core, this campaign is about defending the fundamental human right to freedom of religion or belief. Leah’s continued captivity serves as a stark reminder of the consequences when individuals are targeted because of their faith and when vulnerable communities are denied the protection and dignity they deserve.
How You Can Help
The crisis facing Christian women and girls in Nigeria requires sustained attention, advocacy, and prayer.
We invite you to join us in three ways:
Pray
Pray for Leah Sharibu, for the many women and girls still in captivity, for survivors rebuilding their lives, and for families waiting for the return of loved ones. Pray for justice, protection, healing, and freedom. Pray that Nigerian authorities will intensify efforts to rescue those still missing and protect vulnerable communities from future attacks.
Speak Up
Share Leah’s story. Raise awareness in your church, community, and social networks about the ongoing crisis affecting Christian women and girls in Nigeria. Help ensure that Leah and the many others who remain missing are not forgotten.
Take Action
Sign the campaign letter to the Nigerian Ambassador calling on Nigerian authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of Leah Sharibu and all abducted women and girls, protect vulnerable communities, and hold perpetrators accountable.
If you are in the Washington, D.C., area, consider joining advocates, faith leaders, and members of the Nigerian diaspora at the June 18 #EndTheSilence rally outside the Nigerian Embassy at 11:00am ET as we collectively call for justice, protection, and freedom.
Eight years is too long. Every day Leah remains in captivity is another day her family waits, another day justice is delayed, and another day the world risks looking away.
Together, we can help ensure that Leah Sharibu—and the many other missing women and girls of Nigeria—are seen, remembered, protected, and never forgotten.
