by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(May 21, 2008) Muslim extremists are kidnaping Christian girls in Nigeria, forcing them to convert to Islam, then marrying them to Muslim men. When two kidnaped girls were rescued this week and returned to their parents, extremists retaliated by destroying six Christian churches, including St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
This past week police recovered two Christian girls, Mary Chikwodi Okoye, 15, and Uche Edward, 14, who were kidnaped three weeks ago from their home in Ningi in an attempt by extremists to expand Islam by marrying them to Muslim men. Police took the two girls, who had been under foster care, to safety in southeastern Nigeria where their biological parents live.
The rescue resulted in a rampage by extremists who attacked Christians and set fire to their churches, leaving six churches completely destroyed, including St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
The kidnaping of teenage Christian girls by Muslims has become a recurring practice in this part of Nigeria. In the town of Ningi, 13 girls have been kidnaped in recent months.
“These girls are usually kidnaped, forcefully converted to Islam, and then married out to other Muslim men against the will of both the girls and their parents,” said Joseph Abdu, the Protestant pastor of one of the destroyed churches, to Compass Direct.
One member of his church, Mrs. Comfort Joseph, had her daughter kidnaped four years ago, he said.
“The teenage daughter of Mrs. Joseph was converted to Islam and married to a Muslim man,” he said. “Up to this moment I am speaking to you, we have not been able to rescue this girl from these Muslims.”
Mrs. Joseph’s daughter, Bummi, 16, was kidnaped in 2004. Her mother told Compass that police have not been able to rescue her from the Muslims who abducted her. Apparently, her captors work for the Muslim leader of Ningi, Alhaji Bala Gambo, who is believed to be the mastermind behind the kidnapings, Mrs. Joseph said.
“I learned that she was forcefully married to a Muslim man and that she has given birth to two children,” Joseph said. “Alhaji Gambo boasted before us . . . that he did it and that we cannot do anything to him,” she told Compass. “The man has protection from the sharia courts.”
Stephen Nweke, a parishioner of the destroyed St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Ningi, had his 16 year old foster daughter kidnaped in November 2007 and she also remains in Muslim captivity.
“I reported her abduction to the police and the Emirate Council here in Ningi, but eventually the Sharia Commission here in Bauchi State said she was now a Muslim and is under their custody,” Nweke told Compass.
Although Nweke is in person danger from Muslim agitators, he vowed that he would not leave Ningi until his foster daughter is rescued and returned to him.
“I can’t leave this town without my daughter,” he said with tears in his eyes. “Even if they would kill me – I prefer to be killed than leave without her.”
He is pleading with the Nigerian government to “help me get my daughter back.”
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