A human rights organisation on the aegis of ‘Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria (CJREN)’, has accused Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State of allegedly superintending and approving actions that led to the forced marriage of 18 underage Chibok Christian school girls that were freed from Boko Haram captivity, to the so-called repentant terrorists.
CJREN also alleged that four other Christian girls who were kidnapped in Gadaga district, Garin-Goge village, Fika Local Government Area (LGA) of Yobe State, are suffering similar fate, stressing that the state’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, part of which mandate is to resolve such matters, has deliberately looked the other way.
In a petition dated March 3, and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the development, CJREN is demanding justice and fairness for the less privileged Christian girls that have no one to speak and fight for them.
The petition made available to Forefront News, signed by the Director General (DG) of the Centre, Rev. Kallamu Musa Dikwa, noted that justice has been done to a Muslim school girl from Jigawa State, Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim, but expressed serious concerns that the same justice was being denied the Borno and Yobe Christian school girls.
Rev. Dikwa raised mounting concerns over what he described as “unconstitutional discrimination” on religious grounds in some states in the country, particularly in the far North.
Rev. Dikwa also expressed concerns in the petition, saying that some of the issues formed the basis why US President Donald Trump declared Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) as a result of discrimination and genocide against Christians.
According to him; “This development led the global superpower to bomb terrorists’ hideouts in Sokoto State last December. The country should draw lessons from it”.
Rev. Dikwa further said in the petition that the Borno State government gave accommodation to the ‘repentant’ Boko Haram fighters with their “so-called Christian girls turned to wives”, stressing that the location of the residence is directly opposite Senator Ali Ndume’s house on Damboa Road, Maiduguri, the State capital.
The petition further state; “We’re demanding for justice for underaged Christian abducted girls in Borno and Yobe States. Justice has been done to Jigawa State allegedly abducted Muslim school girl Walida Abdulhadi Ibrahim.
“Same justice must be done to the four Christian girls that were abducted in Gadaga district, Garin-Goge village in Fika LGA, Yobe State, including (1) Cecilia Mathias (2) Veronica Mathias (3) Linda Mathias and (4) Jara David, respectively by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Yobe State,” it stated.
The petitioner is also demanding that justice must also be done to the 18 Christian Chibok schoolgirls who were rescued in 2022/2023 by the military from Boko Haram camp, and subsequently handed over to Govervor Zulum.
Rev. Dikwa noted with regret that Governor Zulum has refused to hand the girls over to their parents, stressing that as if that was not painful enough, the governor singlehandedly went ahead and gave out the 18 Christian Chibok schoolgirls for marriage to the so-called repentant Boko Haram terrorists without the consent of their parents.
The petition further states; “Therefore, the same Constitution that has given the same right to release Walida Abdulhadi, this same Constitution must give the rights to release the above-mentioned names.”
While commending President Tinubu for his sterling qualities of fairness and neutrality to religious matters, Rev. Dikwa expressed optimism that he will order justice to be done in the two cases.
In the words of Dikwa; “We know Mr. President will not allow our underaged Christian daughters to be abducted in the disguise of using so-called Islamic Sharia Jihad Laws”.
The cleric also noted that some of the so-called ‘repentant’ Boko Haram fighters who were handed firearms to help keep the peace and fight criminality, are now deploying the weapons and committing atrocities.
According to Dikwa; “Still, on our demand for justice for all Nigerians, the so-called repentant B’Haram that were recently given firearms and deployed to some places, are doing their worse. Some of them are putting demand on the poor civilians including the commercial drivers to extort money.
“Once you drag or refuse to do what they demand, you may end up in the emergency ward with bullet wound. What a paradox! And here we are saying ‘repentant Boko Haram,” he alleged.
