Emir of Katsina accused of marrying off kidnapped 14-year-old girl
Emir of Katsina,
Abdulmumini Usman has been accused of marrying off 14 year old Habiba Isiyaku
to her kidnapper, Jamilu Lawal. According to The Nation, Habiba's father,
Isiyaku Tanko, accused the Katsina monarch at a press conferences organized by
an NGO, Stefanos foundation, to raise awareness on the matter.
Habiba's father alleged
that his daughter was kidnapped from school, Government Senior Secondary
School, Kudun Kankara, Kastina State by Jamilu and has been forcefully
converted to Islam and married off by the Emir without her parents consent to
Lawal. According to Tanko, Jamilu had not only admitted to abducting his
daughter but also revealed that she is presently being kept at the Palace of
the Emir of Katsina. He alleged that the Emir had informed him that his
daughter had been converted to Islam and he had received the sum of N50, 000 as
dowry from Jamilu.
“My little girl
was abducted on the 16th of August 2016 from her school. After my
investigations, I discovered that Jamilu Lawal who lives in the same community
was responsible for my daughters’ disappearance. I requested that a formal
complaint about the incident be lodged to the Commissioner of Police in
Kastina, Jamilu and his parents were summoned to the police station and he not
only admitted to abducting my daughter Habiba but also revealed that she was
presently being kept at the Palace of the Emir of Kastina. On arrival at the
Palace, the Emir informed me that my daughter has been converted from Christianity
to Islam henceforth, there is no longer any relationship between me and my
daughter and we can no longer inherit each other. He further informed me that
he has received the sum if N50, 000.00 as dowry from Jamilu Ibrahim for my
daughter therefore, he will give her out in marriage in accordance with Islamic
rites and injunctions. He accused me of defaming him at the Police Station and
I was threatened, intimidated and coerced to sign an apology drafted on my
behalf in his Palace. As at today, I am aware that the Emir of Kastina has
gone ahead to marry out my little girl without my consent, having received a
dowry he is not entitled to receive, it fills me with so much pain and grief to
realize that my daughter, who will turn 15 this Saturday the 15th may
be celebrating her birthday in a forced marriage. I appeal to all well-meaning
Nigerians and those in authority to help join hands to see that my daughter is
released to me though the violations already done to her person may be
irreversible. I further appeal that the Incident be well investigated and
diligently prosecuted.”
Programme Coordinator
for Stafanos Foundation, Mark Lipdo, a Non-Governmental Organization assisting
the parents with the release of Habiba stated.
“We have been trying to
intervene in the conflicts going on in Nigeria, we believe in the human rights
of all citizens and encourage that fundamental rights be upheld at all times to
maintain a sane society. Many times we call on the appropriate authorities to
act like in the case of Habiba Isiyaku, such incidents can make conflicts
continue in Nigeria. Habiba is a girl that just completed her Junior Secondary
school and had very good grades, she had so much prospects only to be abducted,
when her parents were invited to the Emirs palaceN she was brought out in a
hijab and he told them that they no longer have any relationship with the girl
anymore because she has been converted to Islam and that he the Emir of Katsina
has now become the father of the girl and he can do whatever he wants with her.
After a few days that the father was sent back, we followed with the
Commissioner of Police to try to get the girl, we took a lawyer with us as
Stefanos Foundation to stand with the parents to demand for their rights but
the rights where denied, we petitioned the Inspector General (IG) of
Police here in Abuja to see if he can secure the girls release but till date,
he is yet to respond, we brought the parents to Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) for help, to see if they can help secure her release and they
said that they will be following the matter up with the IG, but up till today,
nothing, we have been in this town for three days now we have not heard
anything from CAN and the IG. The girl is a minor and things like this has to
stop happening in this country because if it continues, people are going to
result to self-help because where a person has been told his right but he it
has been deliberately refused it, if the person has any strength, he will
result to self-help.”
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