Parents demand police action as apprentice abducts kids

Parents demand police action as apprentice abducts kids May 27, 2016

The kids The parents of two abducted sisters – Chikamso Okpara aged two, and four-year-old Chinaza Okpara – say they have not heard any positive news from the police about the kids’ whereabouts since their abduction on May 14, 2016. They said they had explored all avenues to trace the abductor, identified only as Rose, to no avail and urged the police to ensure that their children were rescued safely. Rose reportedly fled with the children around 12pm penultimate Saturday shortly after their mother, Ijeoma Okpara, left the shop to buy foodstuffs at a market – a few metres away from the shop on Cemetery Street, in the Ajegunle area of the state. The incident happened four days after Rose enrolled as an apprentice hairdresser. Ijeoma, a stylist, had left the children in the care of Rose and a resident, Franca, only to return 15 minutes later and discover that Rose had fled with the kids. Her husband, Emeka Okpara, told PUNCH Metro on Thursday that except the assurance he received from his pastor that the kids were safe, the police had yet to give the family any positive development after the incident was reported at the Ajeromi Police Division. He said, “We have searched for them. We have made reports and people have helped us to circulate their pictures on the social media. We have been told by men of God that the children are safe and are being kept within the state by the apprentice. We pray every day for their protection and safe return. “I spoke with the policeman investigating the case. He said no progress yet and that I should be prayerful. I don’t know the mode of their operation, but they should make more efforts to rescue them. Those are the only children we have. I am very disturbed and it has been difficult handling my emotion and that of my wife. Nobody has contacted us for ransom so far.” The distraught wife, Ijeoma, said she was surprised that the apprentice could abduct her children. She said, “The shop is in front of our house and is owned by a woman. I only work there to assist the owner. On Tuesday, May 10, Rose came and said she wanted to learn hairdressing. I told her to come back as the owner of the shop that will decide on her acceptance was not around. She begged me to allow her start immediately, saying she was idle at home. I eventually accepted after much pleading. “The customer I was making hair for on that Saturday said she wanted to pick something at home, so I had to take a break. I decided to quickly go to the market to buy foodstuffs. The market is near the shop and I didn’t spend more than 15 minutes before I returned. “On getting to the shop, Franca said Rose went with my children to buy something immediately I left. I became apprensive when she did not return early and that was how we began to search for her and the kids. We went to Turner Street which she gave as her address, but we could not find her.” The Lagos State Police Command, however, said it was on the trail of the apprentice and promised to get her arrested. The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos said, “The police are on the trail of the abductor. Efforts are ongoing to rescue the children and apprehend the culprit.”

The Ese Ororu Story Part 2

My son never cohabited with Ese — Yunusa’s father By Clifford  Ndujihe, Kingsley Omonobi, Abdulsalam Muhammad, Dapo Akinrefon, Wahab Abdullah, Charles Kumolu & Gbenga Oke ABUJA — 14-year-old Ese Rita Oruru, the Delta State-born girl-child, resident in Bayelsa, who was abducted by Yunusa Dahiru, alias Yellow, but rescued by the Police in Kano, has been discovered to be about five months pregnant, very reliable sources have told Vanguard. Ese Rita Oruru, arrived Yenagoa yesterday and she  is presently quartered at the police officers mess Yenagoa. She came in company of her mother, Mrs Rose Oruru and securirity escorts who drove them quietly to the Offciers Mess. Yunusa Yellow and Ese Oruru This came as Dahiru Bala, the biological father of Yunusa, declared, yesterday, that his son never cohabited with Ese Oruru because of embedded contraption highly offensive to his religion. This is as some prominent Nigerians, including Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, former Lagos State Police Commissioner, Abubakar Tsav; Second Republic politician and lawyer, Guy Ikokwu and women NGOs, said the law should take its course on the matter and expressed anger over the teenager’s pregnancy. It was gathered that the white Hijab she wore on her arrival from Kano on Tuesday was used to cover the pregnancy, even though her physical condition and looks created suspicion. Vanguard was told that it was the condition the Police authorities discovered about Ese that informed the IGP, Solomon Arase’s directive that she should be handed over to the Gender and Child Protection Unit. A similar directive was given to a team from the Medical Department of the Force to carry out a comprehensive medical examination on the girl at the Police Medical Facility in Area 1, Garki, Abuja. Upon certifying her medical status and emotional state, Vanguard gathered that the Inspector-General of Police, feeling uncomfortable with the transport arrangement of the mother that they returned by road, cancelled the arrangement and directed that both Ese and her mother be flown to Yenagoa. Meanwhile, the IGP has directed the Bayelsa State Police Command to take over investigation of the case since, according to sources, the offence was committed in Bayelsa, which is the place of residence of the abductor, Yunusa Dahiru. Consequently, Vanguard was told that Yunusa would be moved to Yenagoa to face interrogation and prosecution for kidnapping and child abuse as well as violence against a girl-child. The Inspector-General of Police had earlier vowed that Yunusa and all other actors in the seven-month-old abduction saga would be brought to justice. He said it was the only way the nation would make a clear statement in unison that any individual who violated the sanctity of the rights of children shall be dealt with in accordance with extant laws of the country. The IGP spoke as Mrs. Rose Oruru, Ese’s mother, thanked all Nigerians, the Nigerian Police Force and well wishers, who assisted in one way or the other to ensure her daughter was brought back alive and safe, saying she could not say much for now. Speaking through the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole at Force Headquarters, shortly before Ese’s mother, Mrs Rose Oruru, was led to take custody of her daughter, the IGP said:  “Aside prosecution of the actors directly involved in this case, the Inspector General of Police has also ordered an in-house administrative inquiry designed to review the professional conduct of officers responsible for the initial investigation of this case.  Any officer indicted of professional dereliction will be firmly dealt with accordingly.” My son never cohabited with Ese — Yunusa’s father Meanwhile, Dahiru Bala, the biological father of Yunusa Yellow, declared yesterday that his son never cohabited with Ese Oruru because of embedded contraption highly offensive to his religion”. Yunusa’s Father Dahiru in an exclusive interview with Vanguard at his country home, Kauyen Tofa in Kura local government area of kano State, said:  “There was no marriage between my son and Ese Oruru due to contradiction and illegality involved. “The love relationship between my son and Ese was built on ignorance of their religious backgrounds which made it difficult for anyone to support their marriage proposal.” Dahiru Bala, 55, disclosed that traditional authorities were fully briefed about an impending illegality when his son, Yunusa, who he said was 25, informed him of his decision to elope with her lover. “I promptly reported the matter to the village head and on their arrival, they were taken to his home, who in turn reported to the District Head at Kura, headquarters of Kura local government area. “Yunusa was a house help to Oruru’s family for 10 years and when he told me of his love relationship with Ese, I opposed it because we already have a proposal for him in the village. “Sequel to the request of Ese, she was converted to Islam on the order of the District Head before he was taken to the Emir’s palace for his final say.” The farmer said that on arrival at the Emir’s palace, a senior counsellor who took the brief, summoned the Sharia Commission to take custody of Ese Oruru till the following day when the emir would be available. Shedding more light on the Yunusa/Ese Oruru love saga, Dahiru Bala disclosed that the emir, who subsequently met with them, ordered the Sharia commission to liaise with the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 1 to return her home with immediate effect. According to Yunusa’s father, “the much anticipated return of Ese Oruru to Bayelsa was truncated by her when she broke down in the AIG’s office and raised safety questions to her life back home. Subsequently, the move was halted to pave way for investigation”. The suspect’s father, who was surrounded by his village men during the encounter, said “the last we heard of Ese Oruru was that she was in custody of Sharia commission, who kept her in the home of the District Head at Kura.” She should be allowed to deliver the baby—Tsav Reacting to the development, retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav said:  “There is a difference between elopement and abduction. If the suspect is of age, he should be prosecuted. If I were in the position of the parents, I would allow her to deliver after which she should be allowed to make her choice.” Pregnancy unfortunate, inevitable —Joe Odumakin President of the Women Arise for Change Initiative and the Campaign for Democracy, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin said “it is the most unfortunate aspect of the Ese Oruru saga and it is inevitable. But the fact remains that there are more dangers than one can imagine for a 14 year old to become a mother in such a manner as this.” She, however, added that those found culpable of the act, no matter how highly placed, should be brought to book. She said: “There are no two ways about this, a crime has been committed by the man, Yunusa alias Yellow, who abducted the teenage girl all the way from Bayelsa State to Kano State for a forced marriage and conversion of religion. The Nigerian law does not recognise such illegality with an under-aged and nothing should be spared at ensuring that the main culprit and everyone involved, no matter how highly placed, are brought to book.” The law should take its course – Ikokwu Second Republic politician and lawyer, Chief Guy Ikokwu said: ‘’The law should take its course as the molestation and abuse of children and infants is rampant in our society. It should not take the intervention of a monarch, the IGP or the governor or president for police officers trained in crime prevention to do their normal work. Ese Oruru’s father has given glory to God  as what happened was not Christian or Islamic like the Chibok episode.Asked his opinion on Ese’s pregnancy and what the parents should do, he said: ‘’The pregnancy is a family matter. It is for the family to decide. The abduction is a criminal matter but the pregnancy is a family issue. Under the law, we cannot advice the girl to go and commit an abortion. The girl may die in the process. It is for the family to decide.’’ The issue is an embarrassment to Nigeria— Dr Junaid Mohammed “The issue of the elopement of Ese is an embarrassment to this nation and without mincing words, Yunusa shows irresponsibility and the law should take its course on him. Also, the Emir of Kano should be investigated by the police because the statement he gave is not enough to exonerate him in the whole issue. “As far as I am concerned, this issue has nothing to do with religion but a fundamental issue that must be tackled head on and I am calling on the Bayelsa State governor to look into the girl’s issue and help her out.” Funmi Falana, Executive Director, Women Empowerment and Legal Advocacy, WELA, said: “it is unfortunate that the young girl has become a victim of violence against girl child in the society. “Her situation or experience could be likened to a rape because she was not properly married and her consents were not sought, which is contrary to the law. “As it is now, the man should be arrested and prosecuted and not allowed to go scot free. The punishment is seven years jail sentence. “As to the predicament of the girl, she should not be allowed to bear that child and the accompanied pains because she is not biologically fit for it. If allowed to bear the pregnancy, she may have VVF. A case of a girl raped in Agege was handled by us, the girl was operated upon. “However, if she carried the pregancy eventually, she should be delivered through cessarian session. She should be adequately taken care of.” Another woman lawyer based in Benue, Mrs Patience Joseph, who is the coordinator of Nigeria Women Against Poverty, NWAP, said, “The issue is still strange to me. This is because, I can’t imagine how the little girl started fraternizing with the alleged abductor, under the nose of her parents to the extent she was ‘shipped’ out of Bayelsa. “However, this is not the issue on ground now. The only solution is for the state (government) to first determine the condition of the girl, the blood sample of the abductor, and make adequate medical findings to determine if he is responsible and also determine if she will be medically fit to carry the pregnancy. “After this, the issue has become a crime against the man, no matter what the circumstances in which he met the young girl. “In Islam under which guise he may hide for instance, it is condition precedent that the consent of the proposed lady must be sought and that of the parent before a valid marriage can be consummated alongside the payment of dowry. “In this situation none of these conditions are met apart from engaging the little girl in family way prematurely. So, he must be made to account for his deeds according to the law. “One cannot recommend the abortion of the foetus which is illegal, except on medical conditions, supported by proper directive from a qualified medical personnel.” Neighbours, relations and friends besiege Orurus’ Opolo residence Kidnapped girl Ese Oruru’s mother Rose Oruru looks on at the police headquarters in Abuja, on March 02, 2016. Police authorities have reunited kidnapped 14 years old Christian girl Ese Oruru with her mother at its headquarters in Abuja. Ese Oruru was abducted from her southern Bayelsa State home and taken to northern Nigerian town of Kura by her Muslim lover, Yunusa Dahiru, who forced her into marriage and converted her to Islam. / AFP

Meanwhile, neighbours, relations and friends of the Orurus including newsmen had besieged their Opolo residence awaiting the arrival their receive when news filtered in that they were at the Mess. A resident who pleaded anonymity said “we are waiting the mother and daughter to be sure that they are back.” At the police officers Mess, journalists were denied access to the girl by security operatives who claimed they were acting on instruction from above. But a police confided in Vanguard saying:  “there is a directive that the girl should be accommodated at the Mess for three days because of the trauma she has passed through.” As at the time of filing this report journalists were still keeping vigil at the mess.

The Ese Ororu Story

‎The abduction of Ese Oruru shocked Nigerians for several reasons. She had been abducted in August 2015 by Yinusa, a longstanding customer of her mother, Rose, a food vendor. Yinusa, a tricycle rider, had taken Ese, who was 13 at the time, to Kano, had her converted to Islam and forcibly married her. ‎ Her abductors resisted efforts by her parents and a non-governmental organisation, KHAN Initiatives, to secure the release of the 14-year-old and take her home. Curiously, though her parents knew where she was and whom she was with, it took eight months to free her. Others are shocked that she was converted into Islam and forcefully married by Yinusa even though she is a minor. Some others are angered that security operatives, especially the police, failed to free the girl. Her parents are shocked that some, including those who aided Yinusa to convert her, insist that she was 18 even when they had told them their daughter was a minor. Many Nigerians, including some government officials, who only heard about it after The PUNCH launched the “Free Ese” campaign, are still puzzled. And they, along with some federal lawmakers, have called for the prosecution of those who contravened the country’s laws in respect of the abduction. “Ese’s case has brought to the fore the need to protect the rights of children and women in our society,” the Minister of Women Affairs, Sen. Jummai Alhassan, said on Monday while calling for the release of the 14-year-old.‎ “The Child Rights Act says no person under 18 is capable of contracting a valid marriage, and a marriage so contracted is null and void. “The Act also clearly states that anyone who marries a child is liable to a fine of N500,000 or five years imprisonment or both.” ‎ Ese Rita OrIn this extant case, Ese Oruru was thirteen when she was taken away from her parental home in August last year to Kano where she was forced into Islam preparatory to her being “married off” to her kidnapper, Yunusa. She was allegedly kept in the palace of the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who as an international figure, quickly denied it. The emir claimed that Ese was brought to his palace by the District Head of Kura last year. Apparently, Yunusa had approached the District Head to wed him and Ese, whom they had now renamed “Aisha Chuwas”. According to Sanusi, he ordered that the underaged girl should be handed over to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 1, Tambari Yabo, for her return to her parents. He did not tell us how come it took seven months, yet the Police did not. However, the story told by the girl’s distraught parents, Charles and Rose Oruru, was dramatically different. According to them, Yunusa was a regular customer to the family’s petty trade. That was obviously how, like a snake, Yinusa gained access to the tender rose. When the parents found out, they reportedly paid several failed visits to Kano to recover their stolen child. There they were told that Ese had now become a Muslim, and her parents not being “believers”, were no longer qualified to have access to her. They changed her age from thirteen to eighteen, and bragged that the parents would never see their child again “forever” because her abduction was allegedly ordered by Emir Sanusi. Now enter the Nigerian Police into the matter, and please, don’t laugh. Peter Babatunde Ogunyawo,the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, said when the case was reported to him he wrote to the palace of the Emir of Kano. He even said he wrote “several letters”, and unless something was done, he would write to the Commissioner of Police in Kano State. An offence that was committed seven months ago! Maybe Ogunyawo, who had barefacedly lied on live television that nobody was killed in Bayelsa during the recently concluded gubernatorial polls, was waiting for Ese, like the escaped Chibok girls, to contract her abductor’s pregnancy or even give him a baby before moving in to rescue a kidnap victim and bring the perpetrator to book. Ogunyawo’s boss,  the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, appeared hopelessly impotent just like his Bayelsa flunkey. He responded to the outrage with hands thrown up in the air: “I can’t free Ese without Emir (Sanusi’s) help”. Since when did the Nigerian Police need the “help” of a traditional ruler to storm a kidnapper’s den, rescue a citizen and bring the perpetrator to book? Supposed the Emir refused to help, then the Police would drop the case? Quite obviously! Ese’s father actually said so. What a vote of confidence for the Police! It was this same Arase who responded to the Agatu killings by armed Fulani invaders, saying the vandals were “not Nigerians”! Was that an excuse for the failure of the Police and security forces to protect Nigerians from these barbarians killing, looting, kidnapping, displacing and destoying in communities all over the Middle Belt and the Southern states of Nigeria! So, “foreign invaders” are free to pillage the land? Much heat has been wasted on the diversionary “interview” in which Ese allegedly said she was “happy” where she was kept. That’s beside the issue. She is a minor (though the kidnappers fraudulently claimed she was 18 to justify their evil deeds and protect themselves from being called pedophiles). Ese, at 14, has no right to either choose a new faith or “marry” without the express consent of her parents. How does she even know she is “happy”? She does not know what many native Northern Muslim women go through at the hands of their male folks who, in most cases, treat them like expendable items. To Yinusa, Ese was merely a trophy snatched from predominantly Christian Bayelsa and presented to the District Head, the Sharia Council and the Emir as a feat of personal herioc accomplishment. If the whole nation had not risen to confront this matter, the Arase-led Nigerian Police would have looked the other way while the constitutional rights of Ese and the Oruru family are brazenly, arrogantly and insolently raped without any consequence to the evil men behind it. After all, it would not be the first time. Miss Charity Uzoechina, daughter of a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was similarly abducted two years ago from her school, Federal Poly Bida, taken to the palace of the emir (Etsu Nupe), Islamised and kept away from her family. We were also told she was “happy” to be a Muslim. Till date, she remains in captivity. No one has rescued or returned her to her family. No one feels outraged! Some disgruntled people say that Nigeria is a “slave camp” for for some Nigerians. Do you blame them?  The Shocker: Ese Ororu is reported to be 5 months pregnant. ‎ The white Hijab she wore when she appeared in front of the press disguised the pregnancy. The medical team of The Gender and Child Protection Unit carried out a comprehensive medical examination of her at the Police Medical Facility in Area 1, Garki and confirmed her pregnancy. Meanwhile, the IGP has directed the Bayelsa State Police Command to take over investigation in the child violence offense saga because the offense was committed in Bayelsa which is the place of residence of the abductor, Yunusa Dahiru. Consequently, Vanguard reports that Yunusa will be moved to Yenagoa to face interrogation and prosecution for kidnapping and child abuse as well as violence against a girl-child.‎