-As Commission of Inquiry Inaugurated
– CAN Chair weeps for the kids, says action anti-Christ
– Igbo community calls for severe punishment
Sounding harshly, the Kano state governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje reveals that, he ordered the state Ministry of Justice to kick start a process of making some amendments on the Laws dealing with kidnapping issue in the state, from jailing perpetrators to death penalty.
Saying “I have already ordered the Ministry of Justice to modify our Penal Code and amend punishment for Kidnappers from imprisonment to death penalty. This is very important for us to do away with this heinous act and a crime against humanity.”
He dropped the hint at the inauguration of the Commission of Inquiry into the Missing Persons in Kano State, from 2010 to 2019, that took place at the Ante-Chamber, Government House, Kano, stressing that, the rescued children would be rehabilitated by the state.
The Commission is headed by Justice Wada Umar Rano, from the Kano State Law Reform Commission. While ordering them to report back in 30 days, he puts as part of the Terms of Reference “To conduct an inquiry into cases of missing persons in Kano State from the year 2010 to date and to procure all such evidence, written or oral, and to examine all such persons as witnesses as the commissioners may think it necessary or desirable to procure or examine.”
They are also empowered “To summon any person in Nigeria to attend any meeting of the commissioners to give evidence or produce any document or other thing in his possession and to require the evidence (whether written or oral) of any witness to be made on oath or declaration, such oath or declaration.”
Other Terms include “To admit or exclude the public or any member of the public or press from any hearing of the commission, to prepare comprehensive data of missing persons in Kano State within the period and circumstances in which they disappeared,
to find out both immediate and remote causes of cases of missing persons and to prepare and submit a written report including findings and recommendations to the Government of Kano State.”
It could be recalled that recently, the Nigerian Police Force, Kano State Command, under the able leadership of CP Ahmed Iliyasu, uncovered cases of missing children in Kano State.
A total of 9 persons (aged between 2 – 10 years) were kidnapped, out of which, 8 were sold in faraway Anambra State. Some of the victims stayed as captives for over five years in Anambra State, losing their identities.
As he expresses his delight about the 9 victims that were traced and handed over to their respective families, he explains further that, his administration “…takes this callous and heinous crime as a serious security challenge, that shall not be tolerated to continue and no stone shall be left unturned.”
The Commission is also set to hear from the victims or their relatives, collect evidence both written and oral, visits sites (as the case may be), find both immediate and remote causes and make recommendations to the Government for proper action, in order to eradicate such wicked act.
Ganduje promises that,”We must rehabilitate these children in the way their parents would want them to be. As Kano is now implementing free and compulsory basic and post-basic education, these children would also get free education up to university level. Nobody will charge them anything for their studies. Up to the University level.”
To also cushion the effect of hard living, governor Ganduje discloses that, “Each and every child will be given the sum of One Million Naira (N1m) only. This, will, among other things, helps them to have good living, as very young as they are. Those among them that were yet to be associated with their parents, we are now your parents. And we will take good care of you.”
He lamented that the children were deprived of their rights, their religion, their families, their identities and the larger Kano community. Adding that,what the kidnappers did, was not Islamic, neither Christian, but clear case of criminality.”
In his remarks, the leader of Igbo community in Kano, Eze Boniface Ibekwe, lamented that “This is not only a case of kidnapping, it is a clear case of criminality which must be dealt with severely. As Igbo community leaders, we are conducting our investigation also which is different from that of Police. But it will definitely assist Police investigation.”
“The most disturbing part of the whole scenario is, they were not only Kidnapped, but their kidnappers changed their (children) religion also. Which is too bad and absolutely unbecoming. If not because of the exemplary leadership style of the Kano state governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the issue nearly sparked the state into crisis. This is a national issue, which must be handled with all caution.”
They commended the efforts of the state government and all other stakeholders, who stood firmly and saw the amicable dousing of high tension then, encouraging that, “Igbo community will always be ready to continue with the peace and stability, Kano has been enjoying since the coming into power, of the governor Dr Ganduje. We thank you so much for that Sir.”
In his speech which he managed to give, after profuse tears for the kids, when they were presented at the inaugural event, the Kano State Branch Chairman of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend Samuel Adeyemi, after thanking governor Ganduje, he condemned the act as being anti-Christ and anti-humanity.
When he was called upon to deliver his remarks, he broke into profuse tears and handed over the microphone and went back to his seat. And after a while he came back to the podium and lamented about the ordeal, affirming that, “This criminality has nothing to do with the Church. Both the Church and Christianity do not condone this.”
Reverend Adeyemi reveals that, even the Church does not accept taking children away from their parents, till after they attained the age of 13 years. Commending Ganduje for making Kano, a home for all Nigerians. Kano is a small Nigeria. May God continue to protect the state and the nation in general.”
Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council, Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, assured that the working Journalists in the state would continue to support the security agencies in making the state safer and the nation in general.
He revealed how media men dropped pen down, when they got a gist about the missing kids, he said “…we did that deliberately in order not to tamper with the security investigation that was taking place. Had it been we over blew the information we got, the story could have been different by now. So we decided to keep mute about it, till when Police busted the syndicate. So we took back our pens.”
Representative of the Council of Ulama, Malam Ibrahim Kabo, after commending the state government, he reveals how the Council has been up and doing in the general peace of the state and the nation in general.
Apart from representatives from CAN, NUJ, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Security agencies, there are other representatives from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Civil Society Organisations, Kano Emirate Council, state ministry of Justice, there are others from Jama’atul Nasril Islam, National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Abba Anwar
Chief Press Secretary to the Kano State Governor
Thursay 31st October, 2019