Posted on: 12:02 Wed, 16 Mar 2016



Operatives of the Nigeria Police
Force have rescued three teenage
girls, who were abducted in Bauchi
State and forcefully converted to
Islam.

The Prison Inmate Development
Initiative, a non-governmental
organisation, handling the matter,
told one of our correspondents that
the girls were handed over to the
Assistant Inspector-General of
Police, Zone 12, Bauchi, Mr. Tunde
Ogunsakin, on Tuesday, by the
Shari’ah Commission in the state.

SUNDAY PUNCH had reported on
March 6, 2016, that Blessing Gopep,
13, was abducted by two men
identified as Iliya and Umaru, both
living in Alkaleri, Bauchi State.

Blessing and her friend, Mary,
were on their way back to Jos after
spending their holidays with
Blessing’s uncle in Bauchi in
August, 2015.

Her father had said Blessing and
Mary had gone to the Alkaleri
motor park, and while they waited
on the bus for other passengers,
two men, identified as Iliya and
Umaru, arrived at the park on a
motorcycle and abducted Blessing.

On November 19, Linda
Christopher was abducted by one
Mallam Shagari in Tarsha Durumi
village, while Progress Jacob, 13,
was abducted by Mallam Musa in
the Yelwa, Sabon Kaura area, both
in Bauchi State, on her way back
from church on January 3.

According to Ms. Gobet, Progress’
aunt, the teenager went to church
on the morning of January 3, 2016
and did not return when the
church was presumed to have
closed at about 10.30am.

She was allegedly abducted in the
Yelwa, Sabon Kaura Area of Bauchi
State by one Mallam Musa on her
way back from church, which is
said to be a few metres away from
her aunt’s residence.

The distressed aunt said she
reported the case to the traditional
ruler (Seriki) of Sabon Kaura as
well as the Yelwa Police Station,
which only took her statement and
directed her to inform them when
she found Progress.

She added that all efforts to locate
the ‘missing’ girl proved abortive
until a letter was delivered to her
from the Bauchi State Shari’ah
Commission, informing her of
Progress’ conversion to Islam.

Sixteen-year-old Linda, a secondary
school pupil in Enugu, was seen
with one Mallam Shagari at Tarsha
Durumi village in Bauchi State on
November 19, 2015.

It was learnt that Linda had left
Enugu four days earlier to join her
parents, who lived in the Katanga
Giwa village of Bauchi.

Her parents were notified of her
whereabouts by a kinsman, who
knew the family.

Just like the Jacobs, her parents got
a letter from the Shari’a
commission, notifying them of
their daughter’s custody and her
conversion to Islam.

SUNDAY PUNCH had reported the
failure of the Inspector-General of
Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to
rescue the girls one week after the
newspaper had reported the
abduction.

The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi
State Police Command, Mr. Baba
Tijjani, confirmed the release of the
girls in an interview with The
PUNCH on Tuesday.

Tijjani stated, “The girls have been
released. They were not held by the
Bauchi State Shari’ah Commission;
they volunteered to become
Muslims on their own and reported
themselves to the Da’awah &
Islamic Education Department,
which took them to the Bauchi State
Shari’ah Commission.

“Now, they have been produced.
Progress Jacob and Linda
Christopher have been released to
their parents while Blessing
Gopep’s parents have been told to
come tomorrow (Wednesday) and
they will go home with their
daughter.”

When asked if the case would be
treated as a criminal case and the
culprits prosecuted, the police
commissioner said, “We just
released the girls to their parents.
The investigations are still ongoing
and we will come out with the
details after the investigations.”

The Executive Director, PIDI, Mr.
Mbami Sabka, who also confirmed
the rescue to The PUNCH on the
telephone on Tuesday, said he was
glad that effort to rescue the girls
was not wasted.

He added that this was the
beginning of the release of more
child brides.

Sabka said, “I am extremely
grateful to PUNCH newspapers for
their help. We hope that other
perpetrators would learn from this.
We, as an NGO, won’t stop at this;
we will continue the fight for the
release of child brides. An end
must be put to this illegal act.

“The police have asked the Shari’ah
Commission to bring the abductors
involved because the girls didn’t
walk to the commission by
themselves; someone brought
them.”

Blessing’s father, who couldn’t
contain his excitement while
speaking on the telephone, said he
was very happy to have his
daughter back.

He said, “I have waited so long for
this day to come; it has been my
only wish. I just want to thank God
for bringing my daughter back to
us. I am extremely happy; words
fail me to express myself. I also
want to thank PUNCH newspapers
for their help.”

Blessing’s sister, Happiness, said
since receiving the news, she had
been restless.

“I’m boarding a bus first thing
tomorrow to Bauchi. I can’t wait to
see my sister,” she stated.
Jacob, who is Progress’ father,
stated that he was happy to see his
daughter again.

He thanked everyone that helped in
his daughter’s release.

He added, “I have informed
everyone in the village about her
release; they are all expecting us.
We are with the Commissioner of
Police in Bauchi State. My
daughter, Progress, is fine but we
are a bit worried about her
condition.

“She was asked to identify us as her
parents and she did so by pointing
at us but she did not speak to us.
She only shook her head or nodded
to questions.

She confirmed she was not sexually
molested by anyone. The
commissioner said she would be
released to us when the medical
examination has been concluded.”

Linda’s mother, Mrs. Onah, added,
“She looks fine but we have not
spoken to each other yet, although
we sat together today. We were told
the girls were released because they
were not up to 18 years old and
could not make decisions on their
own.

“They are undergoing medical
examinations as we speak and we
heard the results will be released
after three days. I am happy to see
my daughter again.”

PIDI had written letters to the state
Commissioner of Police and the
National Human Rights Commission
but got no response before taking
the cases to Amnesty International.

SUNDAY PUNCH’s campaign on the
abduction of 14-year-old Ese Oruru
from Bayelsa State on February 28
had led to her release within 48
hours from her captivity in the
Tofa area of Kano State.

The #FreeEse campaign, launched
by PUNCH, had led to Ese’s release
and return to Yenagoa, while her
abductor, Yunusa Dahiru, aka
Yellow, is currently facing trial in
the Bayelsa State capital.