My name is Elder Bawa Buba, an ordained Elder of Seventh-day Adventist Church Miya, in Ganjuwa LGA of Bauchi state. I write to petition to you over the abduction and islamization of my 13 year old daughter Alheri Bawa by her uncle Mal Dauda Buba without my consent and approval.
On the 13th April 2016, my daughter left Miya town to visit her uncles in our family compound in Siri Village. She later followed one of her uncle's children to spend the weekend in Bauchi city...
I thought she was in the village but after three days I
sent for her to come back home but was told she has followed her uncle's
children to Bauchi.
I made a called to Dauda Buba, who is a son to my Elder
brother, to whom my daughter has gone to visit to enquire whether my
daughter was with him as reported. To my surprise he confirmed the
information and told me that he has also islamized her and that I should
forget about seeing her any time soon. I was shocked and thought it was a
joke. I asked him why he didn't discuss it with me and my daughter has
never mentioned such an intention. He told me that I should just
understand and allow my daughter remain with him.
This is a big issue because when Christianity and Islam
came to our village, I accepted Christianity while other of my brothers
accepted Islam. Few are still practicing traditional religion. I was
seen as an outcast in the family till date. I believe he did something
to my daughter and she's not in her right sense right now.
My story continues. I went to the village and reported the
issue to my brothers who were not pleased with Dauda did. They all
expressed displeasure over the issue and call upon Dauda to return my
daughter to me but he told them he won't and that Bauchi state Sharia
Commission and other big names are aware of the girl's change of faith
and since I'm doing nothing at the moment I cannot drag with me. My
family members were helpless and advice me to take the case to Hakimin
Miya, Alhaji Sulaiman Yakubu.
I reported to Hakimin Miya who went to Bauchi and asked him
to return my daughter. He told Hakimi he will but did not after 3 days
Hakimi sent his dogari to Bauchi but he could not. Hakimi now told me to
take the case further.
I reported to Gajuwa Police Division, the DPO Mr Tambuwal,
told me that it's not in his jurisdiction that I should report to GRA
Bauchi Division. I have no resources at all for these. I asked my Church
pastor for help since the issue have gone beyond family. One of my
brother gave me the address of Mal Dauda Buba, the abductor my daughter,
who work as a security man in GRA, after Nehima Clinic, Behind Govt
House Bauchi. I went to the house and I was lucky to meet him at the
gate. With my Church pastor and a deacon in Church, we
greeted with him. I then asked why he love to bring problem to my
family. I told him the pain and trauma he has brought to my family just
because he feel I'm poor and will have no one to stand for me while he
will use my daughter's conversion for personal gain among the Muslim
elites in the state, especially the state Sharia Commission which he is
boasting of in the phone with me.
To my surprise he told me that the issue is no longer
family but religious so I should put family aside and accept that fact
or I should go to Sharia Commission who are the only ones with power to
release my daughter from him.
As we were talking my daughter came
out excited to seeing me and wanted to follow me home, I held her hands
and asked her to enter the pastor's car so that we'll
go home. As she was going, Mal Dauda Buba rushed and held unto her
hijab and told her that she is irresponsible and she will not follow me
unless the sharia commission are here since they are aware of her
decision. My daughter shouted "Na FASA, na FASA" that's "I'm not longer
interested". At this points we started dragging
with him over my daughter. Within seconds the place was filled with
hoodlums who wanted to turn the issue into a religious crisis. They
threatened to burn my pastor's car. They place became and the tension
was high. Mal Dauda was shouting, "this religious issue, not family", "
He brought his church people".
At this point some Muslim leaders in the area came and
expressed their disapproval towards Mal Dauda's action as unIslamic but
he insisted that he will not let her go. They now told my pastor to see
how he will get me out of the place because I was no longer in my right
mind because of the pains and trauma I have been through and my
daughter's willingness to follow me. I was ready to die with my daughter
in my hand.
The hoodlums were increasing in number and the Muslim
elders begged my pastor to take me away and that I should not worry, the
police will return my daughter to me because mal Dauda's action and the
boys around is not Islam.
My pastor now dragged me by force into the car And drove away from the scene.
Later on we went to GRA Division
Police station and laid our complaints. The police were quick in action
at the beginning. They attached a policeman to us who later arrested the
man and brought him to the station.
The man was asked to sit behind the counter to explain his
side. The man then made a call to the Sharia Commission. They requested
to speak with the police. After speaking with the police, the man was
ask to come to the front of counter by Inspector Abdulraman Dass who was
in charge. The man now begin to speak boldly. We were just watching with surprise.
The station DCO ASP Joseph came out immediately and ask me
to go to court and request for the custody of my daughter. That it's a
civil case. My 13 year daughter is abducted, Islamized and forced to
stay with a criminal and the police called it a civil case. We were ask by the DCO to hire a lawyer and go to court over my daughter.
Were is the money to file a case? Which court should I go
to? Sharia Court? I'm in trauma and pain. All I want is the custody of
my daughter Alheri Grace Bawa. Pls sir, use your office to return my
daughter back to me. I'm home in the village back to my wife and
remaining 5 children as we weep and wait for justice for me and my family.
– Eld Bawa Buba, Miya, Bauchi state.
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