Emmanuel Thomas
Nigeria, Oct 12, 2016 – More startling revelations about adolescent marriages to elderly people has become commonplace in Nigeria, especially after former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima blazed the trail by getting married to a 14 year old Egyptian, girl under Sharia law.
Although he is alleged to have divorced the girl, the latest, which many might termed barbaric is coming from the Emir of Katsina, who is alleged to have royally abducted and married 14 year old Habiba Isiyaku, a Christian girl.
According to the family of Isiyaku Tanko of Warkaza community in Kudun Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, Habiba was abducted on the 16th of August, 2016 by an official of Emir of Katsina and staff in the Palace, Jamilu Lawal.
Habiba’s farher, IsiyakuTanko who spoke through his lawyer, Barr Yakubu Bawa in Abuja explained how the Emir Palace manhandled him in the quest to secure release of his daughter.
He also accused the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Usman Abdullah of doing nothing to help the situation.
Bawa said Habiba is a minor under the guidance of her parents, until she clocks 18.
“That’s the age of maturity and accountability. The second point is that Habiba cannot be forcefully converted to Islam by the Emir of Katsina, His Royal Highness, Alhaji AbdulMumin Kabiru Usman.
“He has no right to do that. The third point to look at is the fact that the commissioner of Police failed in his duty; this was a helpless man, a vulnerable man that called Stefanos Foundation to come to his aid to secure the release of his daughter.
“And when the CP summoned the parties concerned in his office, I was baffled, my heart is still bleeding by the fact that ordinary security detail gave an instruction that Emir has instructed him when the girl was brought to his office that he’s under instruction to return the girl to the of Palace of the Emir.”
“And yet the CP who has the entire command under his control could not even take a position but unfortunately succumbed to the instruction of an ordinary detail and released that girl back to the Palace.
“He instructed the man to go the Palace the following day and receive his daughter. For me, with due respect, the CP has failed in his constitutional duties as enshrined in the Police Act.
“On reaching the Emir Police, all that this man will be confronted with was for him to sit on the floor and the Emir demanded to introduce the matter through his aide, the Kilishin Katsina to tell him that, look, your daughter has converted and she came with Hijab. She couldn’t look at her mum and her father. He said since she has converted, there is a big barrier between him and his daughter now.
“The man said if my daughter has converted to Islam, give me my daughter to go and practice her newly found faith in my house. The Kilishin Katsina said no, that it’s not possible.”
According to Bawa, the Emir then said that the man has committed a crime. They forced the man to say that the complaint he made to the Police was not true. He left the palace shattered, broken, helpless and emotional broken.
Habiba is about clocking two months now in captivity. Bawa described “the abduction and procurement of a Christian minor, Habiba Isiyaku by the Emir of Katsina as vicious, barbaric and callous atrocities done to Christians not only in Katsina but the entire north west of Nigeria.”
Also speaking, an official of Stefanos Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mr Mark Lipdo decried the pain the family has been going through since the forceful abduction of their daughter.
“Habiba is expected to clock 15 years on Saturday, 15th October, 2016 and would have resumed school in the new academic term.”
He said Habiba passed her Junior secondary school examination in flying colours and was expected to start Senior Secondary School (SSS1) this new term.
Attempts to make the IG of Police, Idris intervene in the matter received no positive response.
Mr Idris also failed to respond to the letter forwarded to his office calling on the Police to secure Habiba from her abductors and Emir Palace.
We gathered that the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) also failed to show commitment in rescuing Habiba. Even when they were contacted in October, the dilly-dally approach adopted discourage the family from pushing forward.
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of Fantastic Mum Nigeria (FMN) Mrs Joy Akanonu pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari and the Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and secure Habiba.
