Patience Paul, a minor who was abducted in Sokoto State in 2015, forcibly converted and “married”, has been returned to her family. 

The 15 year-old was abducted on 12 August 2015 by two neighbours, accompanied by members of the Hisba (Shari’a enforcement) group in Gidan Kukah in the Runjin Sambo area of Sokoto.  Nigerian media sources report that following a complaint lodged by her brother, her abductors allegedly informed the police they had taken Patience to the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, and the family was advised to “go away and maintain the peace.”

As her case garnered increasing publicity, the Sokoto State Human Rights Commission initiated an investigation into Patience’s disappearance, which uncovered she had been “married” to a man who had taken her over 800km away to Bauchi State.  She was eventually traced to the home of a man named Malam Ibrahim, also known as the Sarkin Baki (king of strangers), on the evening of 4 March. At least three people are now under arrest in connection with her abduction and are being held at the Sokoto Criminal Investigation Department.

Patience’s family approached the media for assistance after the case of Ese Ouru, a 14 year-old who was also abducted on 12 August 2015, trafficked from Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria to Kano State in the North and forced to change her name, religion and *to "marry", went viral on social media. She was released 24 hours later. Reportedly a promising student, Ese is now five months pregnant and her abductor Yunusa Dahiru is facing trial Bayelsa.

The increasing publicity surrounding these cases has cast light on longstanding concerns about the abduction, forced conversion and forcible marriage of non-Muslim minors, which is particularly prevalent in rural areas of Shari’a states. Parents seeking the release of abducted daughters are generally informed they have converted, changed their names, “married”, are not minors and are in the custody of local traditional rulers or Shari’a institutions. Appeals to law enforcement agencies for assistance generally prove ineffective, with parents being advised to forget about their children. Those who persist face threats to themselves and to their remaining children, and are often obliged to flee the area.

The continuing publicity has also galvanised campaigns for other abducted minors, causing parents who had given up hope to renew their demands for their childrens’ freedom. On 6 March, Punch, the newspaper that broke Ese’s story, ran a front page calling for the Inspector General of Police to ensure the release of 13 year-old Progress Jacob, 13 year-old Blessing Gopep and 16 year-old Linda Christopher, who were abducted in Bauchi State between August 2015 and January 2016, and of Lucy Ejeh, now aged 20, who was 16 when she was abducted in Zamfara State in October 2009.

Another case making the headlines is that of 14 year-old Ifeoma Ndubuisi, who is alleged to have been abducted, re-named Aisha and transported from her home in Zaria to a Dar-ul Islam school in Kaduna City.  In addition, there are email reports of an unconfirmed case involving Blessing Nimjir Siman, who was allegedly abducted in September 2010 aged 14, with the assistance of a judge in the Kuje Upper Area Court in Abuja who was related to her abductor.

Under Nigerian law anyone below the age of 18 is a minor.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said, “While we are heartened to hear of the return of Patience Paul, we urge the competent authorities to continue securing the release and return of all abducted children and ensuring the arrest and prosecution of all involved in such activities.  This appalling phenomenon, which is fuelled and sustained by impunity, will only come to an end when those involved are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law without fear or favour. We call on the Nigerian authorities to put into place effective policies to protect minors from abduction and to prevail on all states to adopt and adhere to the provisions of the Child Rights Act. We also urge state and traditional authorities to respect the role and responsibilities of parents, and to uphold their right to oversee the religious and moral education of their children, in line with African tradition, with the federal constitution, and with international legislation to which Nigeria is party."

Notes to Editors:

1.  Nigeria’s Child Rights Act stipulates a fine of N500000 (around £1800), a five year prison sentence, or both for anyone involved in child betrothal and child marriage.  The Act also specifies a 10-year sentence for abducting a child from lawful custody if the abductee remains in Nigeria and a maximum life term for sexual relations with children. However, 13 out of the 36 states in the country have refused to adopt the Act, namely Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, Zamafara. All are northern States with the exception of Enugu.