Nasiru Yusuf

An Islamic group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the abduction of nine Muslim children who had been kidnapped in Kano, converted to Christianity and sold in Onitsha, Anambra state.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Kano Police Command has rescued nine of the hundreds of children abducted in Nassarawa and Ungoggo local government areas of Kano metropolis.

MURIC director, Ishaq Akintola, on Monday, described the abduction as nauseating, wicked and reprehensible.

Mr Akintola, a professor of Islamic studies  described the abduction as an extension of the ‘Nigeria for Christ’ slogan by some Christian evangelists.

Kano CSOs to ensure justice for children abducted to Onitsha

He however noted that not all Christians are involved in the act, as many adherents of Christianity are decent and peace-loving and will never descend so low as to seize, convert and sell Muslim children.

“We therefore appeal to Muslims throughout the federation to dispassionately separate the wheat from the chaff. This Kano 9 incident should not be allowed to generate animosity between them and their Christian neighbours. Neither should it ignite spontaneous attacks on non-indigenes in Muslim majority areas.

“Nonetheless, MURIC charges Muslim parents to be security conscious particularly around their children. Mallams in charge of Islamiyyah schools and madrasahs all over Nigeria are urged to do head-counting before the commencement of classes and immediately after.” He stated.

More children yet to be rescued

MURIC also argued that the Kano 9 imbroglio could not have been the first.

“We have every reason to contend that the Kano 9 imbroglio is not the first. The systematic abduction of Muslim children has been going on long before 2014. These Christian kidnappers are methodical and meticulous. They study the environment for some time and plan their escape routes with microscopic accuracy.

“The Kano 9 were just lucky to have been found. Thousands have disappeared without trace. There must be other criminal syndicates like those caught recently. The identities of Muslim kids are changed once they are abducted. They are then given Christian names and sold away to human traffickers and ritualists. It is another angle to the crusade against Muslims and it changes the narrative.

“We appeal to the security agencies to provide adequate security around Islamiyyah schools and protect Muslim children from Christian abductors. The Kano 9 culprits must face the full wrath of the law. There must be no cover-up.” The statement added.

Civil Society hypocrisy

MURIC also mocked some activists and civil society organizations for being selective.

“We are miffed by the attitude of some members of civil society and human rights activists. They raise hell and brimstone when a single Christian is involved in what looks like a denial but look the other way when thousands of Muslims are deprived. This is selective activism. It is sheer playing to the gallery.

“Nigerians will recall the hullabaloo that followed the Ese Oruru saga in March 2016. Where are the advocates of girl-child rights who nearly brought down the ceilings of heaven over a mere case of elopement? Where are the human rights lawyers today?” the statement rhetorically asked”.

MURIC has also appealed to police to prosecute those arrested over the Kano 9 palaver and provide adequate protection for Islamiyyah school children.

On Friday, Kano Police commissioner Ahmed Ilyasu paraded six suspects accused with abducting children in Kano and taking them to Onitsha, where they were sold and converted to Christianity.

Aged between 2 to 10 years old the children were said to have been kidnapped from various locations within the State capital at different time.

Some of the children had gone missing since 2014, but were traced down to Anambra State where they had been sold off.

Report says some of the children have lost connection with their family as one of them failed to recognize his mother.