by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Indigenous Christian communities in Yobe State have decried the rising cases of abduction of their under-aged girl-childs, forcefully converting them to Islam and marrying out without the consent of their biological parents.
The case of Musa Mathias Bayaro, daughter of late Mathias Bayaro and family, is a typical and classical example.
Mathias’ family is crying out to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government over the abduction of two of their daughters, saying, they are still in the hands of abductors they described as “Islamic Religious Affairs group” in Yobe State.
According to the victims’ senior brother, Musa Mathias, his family later petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Abuja, and confirmed that their two daughters and one other Christian girl abducted at different times are still with the Islamic Religious Affairs abductors in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.
Earlier, the Director-General, Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria, Rev. Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa, had in a statement raised alarm, alleging rampant cases of forceful abduction of under-aged Christian girls by the Islamic group in Yobe and Borno States, abused and forcefully converted them to Islam and married out without the consent of their biological Christian parents.
However, in a chat with senior brother of two abducted girls recently, Musa Mathias Bayaro confirmed the information and said they saw their sisters but were not allowed to carry them from the custody of their abductors, appealing to IGP to come to their aid.
“The girls are still in their hands, Sir, the Islamic Religious Affairs and the forceful adductors. They are with Islamic Religious Affairs, Sir: Cecelia Mathias Bayaro, Linda Mathias Bayaro and two others, Veronica Mathias, Jara David, respectively. But I believe God will fight for us,” he lamented.
In a letter of petition to IGP, made available to our correspondent by Musa Mathias, dated March 17th July 2024, it stated that Cecilia Mathias was at Godada Village in Fika LGA, to enable her travel to Damaturu, Yobe State, to participate in a Youth Wing convention when the incident occurred.
The petition is titled: ‘Re-complaint on abduction against a group called Islamic Religious Affairs’ (Aka moral) and one Mallam Idi, District Head of Shembre, 12th July 2024,” with acknowledgements of IGP office stamp, dated July 2024, bearing Maryamu Mathias, a senior sister of the victims, for the family.
“Parents of those, who attempted to challenge the ugly trend in protests, were reportedly made to face severe government wrath by using bodies such as Islamic Religious Affairs, Ministry, Islamic Jihad terrorism Sharia Law, as well as Sharia Jihad terrorism courts in the states, to harass and intimidate them from further protest,” he said.
According to family members, “Christian leader, lawyer and the activist of Borno and Yobe extractions, the number of those abducted and forcefully converted to Islam and married out without the consent of their biological parents are on the increase, uncontrollably, in Yobe State.
“The most recent cases include that of four Christian girls abducted from Gadaga District Garin-Goge Village, in Fika LGA in Yobe State by the Muslims youths allegedly recruited for purposes.
“In particular, the abductions of Christian girls, which tops on the news currently, are known as Cecilia Mathias, Veronica Mathias, Linda Mathias and Jara David.
Musa Mathias Bayaro, who spoke to our correspondent in grief, lamented that their father, Mathias Bayaro, died in 2019 when the first incident of abduction of their younger sister took place.
He also expressed suspicion that the Yobe State Governor is in the know of the incidents, alleging that, “I believe government – our governor – is aware of all these things, because he used to sponsor them.”
On “How can you conclude that the governor is behind it,?” Musa said, “You know, they have their group, called Islamic Religious Affairs (AKA Moral). So, the moment they take your person to them, you have no power.
“You fight it with the police – nothing happens. And even this one we are fighting now, we have written to the IGP office 3 times and no action was taken. This incident of abduction happened in March, 2024, while the first one happened in 2019.
“Two of my sisters: one of our neighbor’s daughters and one of our uncle daughter’s abductions happened in 2019. The one of our neighbor’s daughters happened in 2023, in Goge Village, our village, in Fika LGA. No Muslim girl has been abducted,” he lamented.
On whether it could be bandits or terror groups that came for their abductions, Musa disagreed sharply, saying, “They are not bandits. The recent one we are fighting now happened on a Sunday. We went to the Police Station; after leaving there, one of the traditional rulers sent his messenger to call my mother almost after 10-11 pm in the night.
“When my mother went there, he told her that her daughter is in Damaturu with Muslim Religious Affairs. ‘If you want to see your daughter, you people should go there.’ So, I take money from one of my other sisters and tell a lawyer and one of my uncles to go there,” he said.
Musa, who spoke extensively, said “When they went there, the commissioner of the religious affairs ministry said no, they didn’t bring any girl to them this year. After that, when we write to Abuja, to IGP office, when they ask the Commissioner of Police, they said yes, the girl is with them.
“I tried again; we write to the IGP, I’m waiting for their feedback now. My dad died in 2019 after that first abduction happened,” he narrated.