Leah Sharibu remains the only Dapchi schoolgirl still in captivity, according to Yobe State Secretary

Mohammed Goje, the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, revealed that all the schoolgirls kidnapped from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, in 2018 have been freed, except for Leah Sharibu, who remains captive.

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This disclosure was made during an exclusive interview with Arewa PUNCH on Tuesday, where Goje addressed questions about the Governor Buni-led administration’s seven years in office, which began in 2019.

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According to Goje, the Dapchi girls’ abduction is no longer a pressing issue for the state government, as all the captives, except Sharibu, were released before the current administration took office in 2019.

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Goje stated, “For the Dapchi girls, except for Leah Sharibu, who, I believe, is still in captivity, the Dapchi girls have all been rescued even before 2019, making the story a thing of the past.

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Sharibu, a Christian, was among the 110 schoolgirls abducted by insurgents from the Dapchi school in February 2018 and was reportedly held back after refusing to renounce her Christian faith, while the remaining girls were released about a month later.

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Despite unverified reports about her condition over the years, the Federal Government has consistently assured Nigerians that efforts to secure her freedom are ongoing.

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Goje noted that the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni has prioritized restoring security across Yobe, with significant progress recorded since 2019.

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He explained that improved security has made every local government area in the state accessible, unlike the situation when the administration assumed office.

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Goje said, “When we came in 2019, the North-East was deeply affected by insurgency, with many communities inaccessible due to attacks by Boko Haram and other non-state armed groups.

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However, as of now, there is no local government in Yobe State that is inaccessible, and humanitarian organisations can also access communities that were previously cut off.

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The SSG added that security improvements have extended to the ward level, with almost all political wards across the state now accessible, except for a few communities in one ward.

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Goje stated, “Virtually all the political wards in Yobe are now accessible, which indicates the level of improvement achieved in terms of security.

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The restoration of peace has enabled displaced residents to return to their ancestral communities, while government interventions in agriculture, healthcare, education, and livelihoods are helping them rebuild their lives.

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The SSG highlighted the reconstruction of Yobe State under the Mai Mala Buni administration, disclosing that the government has reconstructed damaged public infrastructure, supported farmers with agricultural inputs and mechanisation, expanded healthcare services, and implemented empowerment programmes.

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Goje explained, “Our priority has been to ensure that people not only return home but are also able to rebuild their lives, by reconstructing public facilities, supporting farmers, expanding healthcare, and introducing empowerment programmes.

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Yobe has become the first state in the country to domesticate the National Internally Displaced Persons Policy and develop a Durable Solutions Action Plan to guide the resettlement and integration of displaced persons.

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According to Goje, the policy allows displaced persons to decide whether to return to their ancestral communities, remain where they currently live, or relocate elsewhere, with the government providing necessary social services to support their chosen option.

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The abduction of the Dapchi schoolgirls on February 19, 2018, attracted widespread national and international condemnation, renewing concerns over attacks on schools in the North-East.

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While 104 of the girls were released by their captors the following month and another was later confirmed dead, Leah Sharibu remains the only known student yet to regain her freedom more than eight years after the incident.