By our Reporter
The Hausa Christians Foundation (HACFO) has condemned the recent “abduction and forceful conversion into Islam” of Esther Duniya, 14, who is now in the custody of the District Head (Hakimin) of Makarfi in Makarfi Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna state.
Esther, an SS1 Student at Government Secondary School Danlawal Ikara, Kaduna State, hails from Magamia Dama Kasuwa of Zangon Kataf LGA of the State.
According to HACFO, Esther, who recently recovered from illness continued to attend her classes. However, she did not return home when she left for school on the 5th of April 2023. Her Aunt started looking for her the same day, but could not find her.
The aunt was alerted the following day, by someone who saw Esther in the house of one Mallam Sani Danmeyamma Danlawal. On reaching the house, his [Sani] daughter by name Mansura, which happens to be Esther’s classmate, confessed that Esther came to her house to help her wash her cloth, but afterward, she left the house.
When the matter was reported to the Village head of Danlawal, he summoned and questioned the said Mansura, which later confessed that Esther was taken to Dorayi to the house of one Aisha Basiru.
On hearing this, Esther’s Aunt left for Dorayi in search of Esther, and on reaching there she received the shocking news of her life from one Badeyi Bala who claimed to be a Policeman, and one Alhaji Lawal who is an aid of the village head of Dorayi (Dogarin Sarkin Dorayi).
The Dogarin Sarkin Dorayi admitted that one Aisha brought Esther to him to convert her to Islam, which he did, and because of that, together with the said Badeyi Bala, who claims to be a policeman, said, that Esther is with them and they will not give her back to the parents since they have now converted her to Islam.
When the parents insisted on the return of Esther, these two staff of the village head refused and even threatened their lives.
In view of the threat they received, and the refusal for Esther to be returned back to them, Esther’s Aunt went and reported the matter to the Kunkumi Police Station and thereafter the matter was transferred to the Makarfi LGA Divisional Police Station.
Instead of handing over Esther back to her family, the Makarfi Police Command handed over Esther to the Makarfi District Head (Hakimin Makarfi). Esther’s aunt together with some CAN officials of Makarfi LGA went to see the Hakimi on the same matter but refused to grant them an audience.
The same Hakimi handed over Aisha to Daawa, the Islamic group in charge of converting and indoctrinating Muslim converts who are now boasting and threatening to convert even Esther’s Aunt.
The same matter was taken to the Zaria Police Command by the same Muslim group to gain the support of the Police because the Zaria Police Command ignored justice and decided to scold Esther’s Aunt for insisting on the release of her daughter.
Monday 1st May, 2023, Esther’s biological father, Mr. Duniya, despite his health challenge, risked his life to go and see the Hakimin Makarfi, instead of listening to him, together with the Daawah group threatened to convert him also.
When they brought Esther to see him, she was crying and wanting to follow him, but the District Head said that he will not return Aisha to her Parents. She will stay with him for one month until she finally decided to speak of her intention publicly to remain a Muslim.
In the narration on its Facebook Page, HACFO said while it appreciates the need for peaceful co-existence among the Christians and Muslims of Kaduna state and even Nigeria as a whole, it will continue to reject such acts and advocate for justice and respect for human rights and dignity.
It called on Nigerian Police Force, and all the relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure the safe release and return of Esther Duniya back to her family.
“From experience, our Christian girls that are usually abducted and forced into Islam are usually raped, abused sexually, physically, and psychologically and even forced into marriage.
“Knowing fully well that Esther is still a minor (just 14 years old) and cannot make decisions for herself, we are calling on your good sense of justice, to intervene in the matter, and to see that, Esther Duniya is re-united back with her family and continue with her education which is paramount. This can go a long way in promoting the peaceful co-existence between these people of different faith in their community, Kaduna state, and Nigeria in general.”
The groups also called on Christians World over to keep praying for Christians in Northern Nigeria over ongoing persecution in the region.
