Investigations by the Nigerian police into the abduction of a missing 14-year old girl have revealed that the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmummuni Kabir Usman sold the young girl into forced marriage for a sum of N50,000 ($127).
The girl, Habiba Isiyaku, was abducted on August 16 from Government Senior Secondary School in Kudun Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State by one Jamilu Lawal. After receiving the news of the abduction of his daughter Habib’s father, Isiyaku Tanko, immediately lodged a formal complaint to the Katsina State Police Command.
Mr Lawal informed detectives, after the Nigerian police had moved into action arrested him, that Habiba is being kept at the palace of the emir. All efforts by Habib’s father to seek for the release of his daughter, including appealing to emir himself, proved abortive.
Police investigations confirmed that the emir married Habiba out to Mr Lawal after taking N50, 000 from him as dowry, claiming that the girl has converted to Islam, therefore both she and her father can no longer inherit each other. Human rights group the Stefano Foundation has petitioned the inspector-general of police in Abuja, seeking his intervention in the matter.
