USCIRF Commemorates Leah Sharibu’s 20th Birthday and Calls for Her Rescue

Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today noted the twentieth birthday of Christian student Leah Sharibu. Ms. Sharibu was abducted six years ago from her school by Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) and has been held captive for half a decade for refusing to convert to Islam. USCIRF is extremely disappointed that the Nigerian government continues to fail Ms. Sharibu and the thousands of women and girls abducted by ISWAP or Boko Haram by not making their rescue a priority.

“Leah Sharibu tragically has spent the majority of her adolescence in captivity for holding true to her religious beliefs,” lamented Commissioner Frederick A. Davie. “Nigerian authorities have made little progress securing her release. This is unacceptable, and the U.S. government should do everything in its power to press the Nigerian government to act.”

ISWAP and Boko Haram represent two of the most egregious violators of religious freedom rights in Nigeria. In the face of extreme violence, Nigerian security forces have routinely failed to address allegations of bias and inaction. The government has also failed to sufficiently address drivers of violence and extremism, including against religious communities, in its country, despite significant U.S. financial support. Nigerian authorities even hold several individuals incarcerated for expressing their own religious beliefs and worldviews.  

“Leah Sharibu is just one of thousands of Christians and members of other faith communities who have been targeted because of their religion or belief and subjected to horrific violence in Nigeria,” said Commissioner Frank Wolf. “The U.S. government must take these threats more seriously and hold the Nigerian government accountable for tolerating such unspeakable violations committed by ISWAP, Boko Haram, and others. The State Department must designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and appoint a Special Envoy to the region.”

In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. government designate Nigeria a CPC for engaging in and tolerating ongoing, systematic, and egregious violations of religious freedom and redesignate ISWAP and Boko Haram as Entities of Particular Concern (EPCs). USCIRF has also recently published reports on blasphemy laws and violence impacting religious freedom in Nigeria, and held a hearing on religious freedom and U.S. policy in Nigeria in 2022.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].