Following the public outcry over the alleged abduction of Ese Oruru, a Zaria based Igbo couple, Ndubuisi and Agnes Nich­odemus have urged relevant authorities to help them rescue their 15-year-old daughter, Ifeoma, who was allegedly converted to Islam and forced into marriage., back

According to the bitter parents, who reside in a predominately Hausa Muslim community, Ifeoma walked out of the house 21 months ago after a brief altercation with her mother.

They are yet to set eyes on her ever since.

Ndubusi Nicodemus, while speaking with The Sun, stated that they have made a complain to the Christian Association of Nigeria. CAN, on its part, had written a letter to the Commissioner of Police in the state and the Department of State Security Service (DSS).

The commissioner of police directed some of his men to see to the release of the girl. However, this could not happen as a Sharia court had given the girl’s custody to one Alhaji Shehu Khalil who works at Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

“So, we were told that our daughter had been moved from Zaria to one school called Da-rul Islam in Kaduna where new converts are usually taken to. This attitude is capable of igniting religion crisis in the state. We have been in Zaria for more than three decades without having any issue with anybody.”

“Now when we approached the school in Kaduna alongside the CAN representative, the school told us to go and get a written clarification to that ef­fect because there was a written order from court before she was admitted. The school later appealed to us to come and take our girl because she was giving them problem. But we need court order to do that.”

“Even with the intervention of the Commissioner of Police that the girl should be released to us, the court re­fused to release her and instead trans­ferred the case to upper Sharia court in Zaria,” the aggrieved father said.

Agnes, the missing girl’s mother, alleges that her daughter has been married off to an Hausa man.

“I was told that one Hausa boy has been given my daughter, a minor, as wife without our input as parents. I was made to realise that the boy is working inside ABU here in Zaria, though I don’t know whether as a staff of the school or not. This is rather modern oppression and slavery.”

“We have been doing everything we could legally. But from the way it has been, it shows we are not one Nigeria. You can imagine how you will feel as a mother when your child is missing. But my daughter’s case is different because for more than a year now she is being in custody of another man. No contact, no phone call. This is rather unfortunate.”

When he was contacted, the man accused of marrying Ifeoma, Alhaji Shehu Khalil, was not forthcoming.

He was quoted saying that: “How did you manage to get my number? Who said he has his daughter in my custody? Well, I don’t know anything. You can come to Zaria I don’t know anything because I cannot talk to you on phone.”

Although they confirmed the parents claims, the Kaduna state police refused to comment on it.