. . . Says Shekau’s demise divine answer to global prayers for Leah

International human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe this week marked a quarter century since his abduction and torture by Gen Abacha with a prayer thanksgiving in USA.

Addressing an African Diaspora group in Washington metro on Sunday, June 6, 2021, Ogebe recounted how Gen Abacha imported prostitutes from India and met his Waterloo with them. “No man can claim credit for taking him out. He used his own hand to finish himself. That’s the God factor.”

Ogebe said that in the same vein no one can claim credit for the demise of dreaded terrorist kingpin Abu Shekau. “The US offered a $7million reward for his capture but since 2012 no one was able to get him. But let me tell you what happened.

“Leah Sharibu turned 18 in captivity and prayers were held for her globally. Just days after we held a commemoration of captive Christian heroine schoolgirl Leah’s 18th birthday in service in Los Angeles on Sunday May 16, news emerged of the death of Boko Haram leader Shekau – by his own hands on Wednesday! It wasn’t the Nigerian army but God factor. What a lovely 18th birthday present for Leah from God!

“I do think that the demise of the most brutal and blood thirsty terrorist in the world within 72 hours of global prayers for Leah from London to LA is no coincidence,” Mr. Ogebe said, encouraging the audience that “prayer works but you in Diaspora must also be the voice for those whose voices have been shut down with twitter at home.”

Below is his statement issued in commemoration of his captivity as part of a month-long advocacy action activities:

“Today is 25 years since General Abacha imprisoned me.

“A few years ago, I went to visit the cell in Abuja where I spent summer 1996. It’s gone. Demolished.

“Our family home is now on the hill at the bottom of which my prison cell was - the one overlooking my former prison.

“25 years ago, I was forced to stay there against my will. Today I willingly call it home.

“On the mountain of the Lord it shall be established.”

“This is no coincidence. Only God could have orchestrated it. There was a gas station across the road. It was managed by my childhood friend from Sunday school. Occasionally I would be escorted there by a guard to have a bath. The station is not there anymore.

“Finally on the same side as the gas station is a military installation called “Abacha barracks”.

“The barracks is still there but the name is now “Mogadishu barracks”.

“Yes, like the late unlamented dictator is gone, so has the name. He died on the anniversary of the day he arrested me. Coincidence?

“There’s no vestige left of my captivity. All gone including my captor in chief...

“I am told I have scars on my back. I haven’t seen them and I am not sure I care.

“You have to understand there was completely no hope of deliverance or survival or escape.

“Some in prison with me did not make it out alive...

“To see all the barricades gone along with the oppressors is surreal.

Truly “the Egyptians you see today you will see no more.”

You will search for them and you will not find them.

There’s a God in heaven who rules in the affairs of men.

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;

though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.

11 But the meek shall inherit the land

and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous

and gnashes his teeth at him,

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that his day is coming.

Psalm 37

Gloria in excelsis deo

“The life I have lived since then has not been my own. To his glory from 2017 till date, no single year has passed without the victims of Boko Haram who I brought to US graduating. In 2017, two Chibok girls graduated high school, in 2018 one survivor schoolgirl graduated community college, in 2019 two graduated university & community college in 2020 one graduated university and in 2021 one graduated with Masters and others bachelors.

“Yet those who forsook God’s favor for the filthy riches of Nigeria have not produced anything to write home about since 2016. I heard two out of five Chibok girls here passed secondary school certificate but their result was later rejected by a university. I have never heard of that before. How can an American institution reject your secondary certificate if you genuinely passed it? But this is the Nollywood drama our embassy has been acting with the girls here for five years. Incidentally most of the Chibok girls were born that year when I was imprisoned by Abacha.

“The moral of the story is whether you are a ruler, a terror leader or a schoolgirl, fear God. Ultimate power ultimately belongs to him only. It’s better to choose the losing side and come out on top than pick the winning side and come out below.

“I caution Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to pay heed to wisdom and history. Abacha thought he was alpha and omega until the real Alpha and Omega said “enough.” Buhari himself was kicked out of power and should have been wiser but is repeating all the same blunders. In fact he was also part of the obnoxious Abacha regime.

“However it is not too late to course correct and the best thing for him and for Nigeria now is his resignation.

“Summoning the ambassadors of EU, US, UK, Canada and Ireland to rebuke them over Twitter is a reminder of the dark days of Abacha. Frankly we never that we would see today Nigeria in much worse condition than then.”

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