Nigerian schoolgirl who refused to convert for Boko Haram remains captive

A Christian girl is reportedly being held captive by Boko Haram in Nigeria because she refused to renounce her faith.

Leah Sharibu refused to accept Islam, resisting the entreaties of her classmates to pretend to do so, her parents learned from a conversation with her friends, the Guardianreports.

On Wednesday, the terror group returned 105 of the 113 girls who had been abducted from their school in northeastern Nigeria last month.

Fatima Gremah, 13, who was among those released, earlier told reporters: "Boko Haram said we were lucky we were young and also Muslims.

"One of us who is a Christian has been left behind. They said they would keep her until she converted.

"If she converts, they will release her. She is the only one among us left behind."

Five girls are said to have died in the initial stages of the kidnapping.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari said last week the government had "chosen negotiation" to secure the return of the Dapchi girls rather than use military force.

Mohammed had earlier said their release was the result of "back-channel efforts" with the help of "some friends of the country", without elaborating.

Military operations in and around Dapchi had been suspended "to ensure free passage" of the girls and also to ensure "that lives were not lost", he added.

Nigeria's presidency said separately the girls were in the custody of the country's intelligence agency, the Department of State Services.

Additional reporting AFP