Islamic Police Hold 15-Year-Old Christian Girl Captive in Nigeria, Refuse to Release Her
Kano State Hisbah Board Forces Missing Teen to Convert to Islam Against Family's Will
A Muslim police force in Nigeria is holding a 15 year old Christian girl who has been missing since December 1, with her family fearing she will be forcefully converted to Islam. Pastor Kabiru Usman discovered that the Kano State Hisbah Board, a Muslim police force charged with enforcing Sharia law among Muslims, was holding Ummi Tambaya at its post in Rogo.
"After a long search and relentless efforts, we discovered the girl has been kept under the custody of the Hisbah commander of Rogo, Malam Sani, and that she wants to convert to Islam," Pastor Usman told Sahara Reporters. Efforts by the divisional police officer and village district head failed as the Hisbah commander refused to release the girl.
Islamic Police Commander Hides Kidnapped Christian Child From Family
Pastor Usman accused the Department of State Services of failing to act.
"In fact, one of their officers collected 20,000 naira claiming officers from headquarters needed it to buy fuel. We are appealing to relevant authorities to come to our aid. The family of Ummi are traumatized. We don't know her present condition and we are afraid the culprits will escape because we have had five other similar cases of forceful conversions of our girls in the area."
Ummi's family asserted that a young Muslim man who had repeatedly asked her to marry him despite refusals arranged for her abduction. Shamsu Tambaya, a relative, told Sahara Reporters that the kidnappers moved her to various locations before taking her to the Hisbah commander. Tambaya said Ummi has not reached the legal age for changing her religion and also has a mental health problem.
Ibrahim Dikko, a former Muslim and Christian evangelist, appealed for help in a Facebook post. "Why did the Muslims and the Hisbah break the law by snatching a 15 year old girl and forcefully convert her to Islam? They must release that girl back to her parents and the church."
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
Nigeria's Islamic police operate with complete impunity.
They steal Christian children, convert them by force, and marry them to Muslim men.
And the government does nothing because Christian girls don't matter.
Ummi is 15 years old with mental illness being held by men who want to force her into Islam and marriage.
Every day she remains captive is another day of abuse.
This is systematic child trafficking sanctioned by Nigerian authorities.
And it will continue until Nigeria faces consequences.
TAKE ACTION
Emergency Rescue for Ummi: • International Committee on Nigeria: www.intlcomnigeriacn.org (advocates for kidnapped Nigerian Christians) • Email: info@intlcomnigeriacn.org
Combat Forced Conversion: • International Christian Concern: www.persecution.org/donate (emergency response for persecuted believers) • Email: icc@persecution.org
Child Protection: • Voice of the Martyrs: www.persecution.com/give (assists families of kidnapped Christians) • Email: thevoice@vom.org | Phone: 1-800-747-0085
Immediate Action Required: • Contact U.S. State Department demanding immediate intervention to free Ummi Tambaya from Islamic police • Demand Nigerian Embassy address forced conversion of Christian children: info@nigeriaembassyusa.org • Share Ummi's story on social media using #FreeUmmiTambaya and #NigerianChristianChildren • Contact congressional representatives demanding sanctions against Kano State officials enabling child kidnapping • Pray for Ummi's immediate release and protection from forced conversion and marriage • Support organizations providing legal assistance to families of kidnapped Christian children in Nigeria
