Pray for Leah Sharibu as she spends her birthday in captivity

Leah Sharibu was abducted by Boko Haram seven years ago. She wasn’t released, because she refused to deny Jesus. Today is the seventh birthday she has spent in captivity.

On 14 May 2025, Leah Sharibu turns 22 years old. The last time her mother, Rebecca, saw her, Leah was only 14. She was kidnapped by Islamist militants Boko Haram, alongside more than 100 other schoolgirls in her town in Nigeria. When the other girls were released, Leah was held. Why? Because she defused to deny her faith in Jesus.

“Leah loves the Word of God,” shares Rebecca. “She tried hard not to do anything that would get me angry. She was a member of a few church groups, and she followed all the programmes in the church.”

Rebecca remembers Leah’s birthday in 2017. “I sang for her, ‘Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.’ I sang for her, and she was happy and she laughed. She was happy. That was the last birthday we celebrated for her at home.”

Strengthened by Psalm 123

Ever since the day Leah was taken, Rebecca has remained determined to trust God. She finds strength in Scripture. “Often when I think about Leah, when I am sitting or eating or doing something else, and start to think about her, there is this verse that I read, and it encourages me,” she says.

“It is from Psalm 123. It reads: ‘I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us, for we have endured no end of contempt.’”

Open Doors continues to support Rebecca and her family. A local Open Doors partner says: “We will continue to pray and advocate for Leah’s release and walk alongside the family, even if just spiritually and emotionally, until Leah comes home and long after that.”

Rebecca’s prayer request

Rebecca urges Christians around the world to join her in praying – particularly on Leah’s birthday.

“I am pleading with you, brothers and sisters in Christ,” she says to you. “We know that Leah will have her birthday. I am pleading with you the world over to continue praying for Leah and all those in captivity to be released.

“Just like Alice [another woman who was taken by Boko Haram] who has been freed after seven years, and she told me that Leah is doing well, and I should not worry because one day she will come back. So, I am pleading with you, just like we have been praying for her night and day, I am pleading with you to join our hands and keep on praying concerning Leah and others in captivity, that God will bring them out safely.”

Please join Leah’s mum in praying – for Leah and for all the other courageous believers who are currently in captivity, and their loved ones who wait for them.