In a press briefing on Monday, the Katsina State Police
Command, Usman Abdullahi asked Habiba Isa, the 14-year-old girl, who was
allegedly converted to Islam and forced into marriage, to return to her
parents’ house.
The command maintained that at her age, she was too
young to take any decision on marriage and religion.
The commissioner also said the command was not aware of any
marriage between Isa and her alleged abductor, Jamilu Lawal.
Abdullahi said the police became aware of the matter on
September after a petition was submitted at the command headquarters by a legal
chamber, Bawa, Bawa & Partners, which accused Lawal of abduction and forced
marriage.
Abdullahi said, "It was gathered that the girl was
neither “kidnapped, abducted nor procured,” as she was the one who willingly
left her parents’ house to the house of the Chairman of Hisbah, who took her to
their village head and later to the district head of Kankara, where she
explained that she had converted to Islam.
"This was contained in the statement she gave willingly to
the police. It was on this note that the suspect (Lawal) was released since the
case of alleged kidnapping and abduction could not be established against him."
The police boss said the command also invited Isa's father,
Isyaku Tanko; his two brothers, whose names were not given; their lawyer, state
and local government chairmen of the Christian Association of Nigeria, as well
as the association’s officials from the Kankara Local Government Area, to a
meeting.
Also present at the meeting, according to the commissioner,
are Lawal, his father, the representatives of the Emir of Katsina and
some senior police officers.
The CP said, "At the meeting, Isa, in addition to the
written statement, said she decided on her own to leave her parents’ house for
Kankara town, where she converted to Islam, without the influence of Lawal.
"In view of the foregoing, I want to advise the girl to go
back to her parents. The police are not party to the changing of the girl’s
faith. The police are not aware of any marriage; and if there is any marriage,
the police are not a party to it."
6 Comments
How can she go home after they've disvirgined her..
ReplyDeleteVVF!!
ReplyDeleteWicked emir. I must say!
ReplyDeleteHope this girl's eyes is clear!
ReplyDeleteShe's just saying what they asked her to say!
ReplyDeleteI think the point is that Hausas enjoy giving their daughters in marriage at childhood. They don't feel anything about & will never change.
ReplyDelete