From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Zonal Command of the Nigeria Police Force in Kano has cleared the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II of any wrongdoing in the abduction saga of Miss Ese Oruru.
Police confirmed receipt of a request letter to return the girl back to her parents in Bayelsa, Yenogoa.
At a press conference yesterday, convened by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 1, Mr. Shuaibu Lawal Gambo, the police observed that, “the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi had indeed directed that the abducted girl, Miss Ese Oruru, be returned to her parents in Bayelsa State, as far back as August 2015.”
Gambo told newsmen that, “information, as obtained from my predecessor, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Tambari Yabo, confirmed that the emir actually sent a delegation, made up of some members of the Sharia’ah Commission and a representative of the Emirate Council, with a letter requesting the police to take back the girl to her parents.
“The delegation, in the company of the girl, arrived very late in the evening to the Zone, as a result of which it was rightfully agreed by all parties to bring her back the following day so as to implement the request of the monarch.
“Given the benefit of hindsight, it is evident that there was a failure of communication as the delegation never returned with the girl for onward transportation to her family and no further report of complaint, whatsoever, was received in respect of the case.
“On the part of the zone, when it did not hear from the delegation, it innocently presumed that the case might have been resolved by the Sharia’ah Commission, which as you know, is also empowered to adopt alternative dispute resolution measures in cases of this nature.”
The zonal police, which displayed the monarch’s letter during the briefing also disputed the argument, in some quarters, that the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase ought to have acted earlier than it did on the matter.
He stated categorically that, “that Arase was never in the picture of this case until Sunday morning when the matter was reported in the media.
He concluded that, “ in normal circumstance, a case of abduction does not necessarily require his attention. This is because it is well within the competence of the Assistant Inspector General of Police or even the Commissioner of Police in the state to handle.
“Besides, this case was never officially reported to the zone or to the Kano State Police Command, by either the parents or the guardians of the abducted girl.”
… Inuwa’s father’s claim of innocence can’t stand in face of law –IGP
By Willy Eya and Tony Osauzo, Benin
In Benin, Edo State, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase, yesterday restated readiness to prosecute Inuwa, also known as Yellow, who allegedly abducted 14-year-old Ese Oruru from Bayelsa State.
He dismissed the claim by the father of Inuwa Dahiru Bala that his son had not committed any crime.
The IGP stated this through the Gender Officer, Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Mrs. Mairo Adebalogun at a workshop on sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria, organised by the Nigeria Police, in collaboration with Cleen Foundation and Ford Foundation in Benin, yesterday.
Countering the father’s claim of innocence, Arase said it was irrelevant, insisting that Inuwa would be prosecuted, adding that the claim cannot stand in the face of law.
“The father is not the person in picture of this issue right now; it is his son. The police is going to investigate and if they find him wanting, they will prosecute him,” he said.
In a related development, former member of House of Representatives, Chief U.S.A Igwesi has called on Houses of Assembly in the country that have not domesticated and implemented the Child Rights Act in their various states to quickly do so now to enable the rights of vulnerable children be adequately protected and advanced.
Speaking with Daily Sun yesterday on Ese Oruru who was abducted by Inuwa, a tricycle operator in Bayelsa State in August 2015, Igwesi observed that until all the states in Nigeria domesticates and implements the Child Rights Act, the vice will continue to thrive as an enterprise with negative effects on the society.
The former leader of Enugu State House of Assembly blamed the entire society on the ordeal suffered by the teenager, saying it has the responsibilities of asking questions when unusual things are happening in the society.
He stated that children are God’s special creations and should not be violated by any right-thinking human being, arguing that God has demonstrated in his Holy book that his passion and love for children was placed over one for adults because of their vulnerability and innocence.