By Tamunotonye Inioribo @Tonyebarcanista
I would never have believed if I was ever told that there will be a period in this 21st century where a young girl will be kidnapped, ferried to a strange land, forced into marriage to her captor by the ruler of the land of her captor and impregnated be impregnated by her captor. But as ridiculous as that sound, a 13 year old girl was subjected to worse treatment in August 2015.
On the night of 12th of August 2015, a brilliant 13 year old girl named Ese Oruru, was kidnapped and abducted from her mother’s stall in Yenogoa, Bayelsa state in southern Nigeria to a far away Kano state in northwest, Nigeria. Ese, whose parents hail from Delta state but residing in Yenogoa, was subjected to the most inhuman and degrading treatment by her captor, named Mr Yunusa Dahiru.
Her Captor, Mr Yunusa Dahiru, took Ese to the palace of the Emir of Kano, who as at that time was the now deposed Emir, HRH Sanusi Lamido Muhammed. The palace forcefully converted Ese’s faith from Christianity to Islam, and married her off to Mr Dahiru, her captor. All of these happened without the consent of the parents of Ese. The palace even changed her name from Ese to Aisha. Ese’s parents, who were aloof of their daughter’s whereabout, were dumbfounded after they discovered that their daughter has been trafficked to Kano.
On 14th of August 2015, Mrs. Rose Oruru, Ese’s mother, travelled from Bayelsa to Tufa village in Kura local government in search of her daughter, but was accosted by local chiefs who informed her that Ese was in the custody of Emir Muhammad Lamido Sanusi, the now deposed Emir. The unrelenting Mrs Rose embarked on another trip to the palace of the Emir, but was prevented by local youths from having access into the palace to see the Emir and her daughter, Ese.
On 17th August, 2015, Ese’s mother, Mrs Ruth returned to the palace accompanied by a police officer attached to Kwani divisional police command, and was eventually allowed access to the palace. Inside the Palace she met Emir Muhammad Lamido Sanusi, who personally presided over an Emir-in-council meeting after Ese was brought into the palace by her captor with police guarding them; but the Emir refused to release her to her mother. Instead of giving her daughter to her, Ese’s mother was sent out of the palace council chamber when Ese’s issue was up for discussion. The Policeman, who was at the meeting, came out and informed Ese’s mother that the Emir, Muhammad Sanusi Lamido, has ordered them to approach the Shari’a court to seek redress – he refused to release Ese to her mother.
Ese’s mother, reported the matter to Kano state police command criminal investigation department, and was advised by the police in Kano state to return to Bayelsa state to file a second criminal report at the criminal investigation department of the state police command. While this was ongoing, Ese was under the custody of her captor Dahiru and forcefully living with him as his wife.
On February 28, 2016, after seven months with her captor, Yunusa Dahiru, the Police was able to free Ese. Unfortunately, Ese was already pregnant due to the canal knowledge that her captor, Dahiru forced her into. The police also arrested Ese’s captor, Dahiru.
On March 8, 2016, Dahiru was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Bayelsa state for abduction, child trafficking, illicit sex with a minor, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge. After four years of legal journey, Justice Jane Inyang finally put a rest in the issue, found Yinusu Dahiru guilty of the charges brought against him, and sentenced him to 24 years in prison with hard labour.
Crime Against Humanity
When you consider the crimes against Ese Oruru, you will agree that the offence crime against her constitute as crime against humanity. She was subjected to emotional, physical and psychological torture. She was kidnapped, forcefully converted to another religion, raped and impregnated. Her self worth was severely damaged, her education stunted and she was made an unplanned mother of a child at just 14.
Though, I salute Justice Jane Inyang for sending the abductor to the prison that he rightly belong, I am of the strong opinion that Miss Ese Oruru needs to be properly rehabilitated and taken care of by Bayelsa state government. The rehabilitation of Miss Ese will enable her overcome every internal battles and facilitate her healing process.
THE ROLE OF MUHAMMAD LAMIDO SANUSI
Although there is no evidence that Muhammad Lamido Sanusi conspired with the now convicted Yinusa Dahiru to kidnap Ese Oruru, but his actions aided Dahiru in perpetuating the crime against Ese.
Firstly, Sanusi, without obtaining the consent of the parents of Ese, proceeded to join her in marriage with her captor, and even provided shelter for her captor in the palace to be living with Ese that he forcefully converted to be his wife. By so doing, Sanusi not only breached the laws of Nigeria, but also breached Shari’a/Islamic law for giving out a minor’s hand in marriage without her parents consents and without performing necessary rites.
Secondly, Muhammed Lamido Sanusi deliberately refused to order the release of a kidnapped victim whom he housed in his palace to her mother despite her pleas and public outcry. His conduct gave express approval to Mr Dahiru to have unrestricted unlawful sexual intercourse with the little Miss Ese. This gives him out as an accessory to the crimes perpetrated by Mr Dahiru.
Thirdly, Emir Muhammad Lamido Sanusi rebuffed all entreaties and public outcry for over seven months while the little Ese was subjected to inhuman treatment by her captor, Dahiru.
Considering the above, I believe that justice will be entirely served only when Muhammed Lamido Sanusi and others that played ignoble role to aid the evil perpetrated by Yinusa Dahiru are brought to face justice. Bringing the former Emir of Kano to justice will serve as a deterrent to others high profile personalities that are involved in this kind of inhuman misconduct.
Finally, the Kano Emirate and the Kano state government should be made to pay Ese Oruru damages for the inhuman treatment she was subjected to.
Tamunotonye Inioribo is Political and public affairs Analyst, and could be reached on email: Tonyebarcanista@gmail.com
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Intel News.
