Nigerian schoolgirl, Leah Sharibu married to two Boko Haram leaders, now has two kids

Leah Sharibu, the forgotten schoolgirl from Yobe State, Nigeria, has reportedly been married to at least two Boko Haram leaders, according to Sahara Reporters.

They include Ali Abdallah, who has ascended to the position of Chief Judge within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the Lake Chad basin.

A “repentant” Boko Haram fighter disclosed this shocking revelation to SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

According to the ex-terrorist, Sharibu initially married Abdulrahman after converting to Islam, bearing a son with him before his death in an air raid. Subsequently, she wed Ali Abdallah, a prominent commander, with whom she had a daughter. This disturbing account sheds light on Sharibu’s harrowing ordeal since her abduction on February 19, 2018, along with 109 other female students from the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State.

Previous reports from January 2020 and March 2021 had already indicated Sharibu’s coerced conversion to Islam and her subsequent forced marriage to a Boko Haram leader, resulting in the birth of two children while in captivity. Despite enduring unimaginable suffering, Sharibu remained steadfast in her Christian faith, refusing to renounce it even in the face of relentless pressure from her captors.

The repentant fighter, who provided these revelations, explained that he and others like him had abandoned the terrorist ideology after realizing the atrocities they had committed. Their decision to lay down arms stemmed from safety assurances by Nigerian authorities, with the intention of persuading former comrades to follow suit. This insider perspective offers a glimpse into the complexities of extremism and the individuals caught within its grasp, highlighting the potential for redemption and reconciliation.