#ChildrensDay: Atiku speaks on Leah Sharibu’s ordeal

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, has lamented over Leah Sharibu, Dapchi Christian girl who is still in captivity of Boko Haram insurgents.

The Waziri of Adamawa said the ordeal of Sharibu remains a psychological despair in the heart of many.

Abubakar, a Presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, said this in commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day.

The former Vice President also urged the authorities to think of ways to lessen the burden of children in their quest for a good life.

A post on his Facebook page on Sunday reads in part: “While we savour the joy of this day, let us spare a moment to think of the unimaginable stress and horrors that children face in various parts of Nigeria today where poverty, insecurity and poor governance are leaving horrific psychological scars.

“Our prayers and thoughts must go to Leah Sharibu, numerous children who cannot go to school because of unsafe and insecure environment, children struggling against autism, congenital heart defects and other health challenges.

“Any statement about Children’s Day will not be complete without noting the irreplaceable role of mothers; a mother’s arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them – that is why the genuine empowerment of women must be part of our priorities because they nurture our future leaders.”