The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has expressed concern over the abduction and conversion to Christianity of nine Muslim children in Kano state, saying the bizzare kidnap was meant to “obliterate the history, lineage and culture” of the victims.
Kano Focus reports that the Kano Police Command had rescued nine missing children and paraded six Igbo persons who have confessed to abducting children and selling them in Onitsha, Anambra state.
In a statement, Secretary-General of JNI Dr. Khalid Aliyu said the group, under the leadership of Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, “expresses its unqunatifiable pain and sadness” over the “inhuman” kidnapping of the children and their conversion to Christianity in the 21st century, by Igbo “slave traders”.
“What was painfully shocking was the desperation of converting these Muslim minors to Christianity and changing their names to Christian names, in order to obliterate their history, lineage and culture,” he said.
“We nonetheless condemn in the strongest terms this act of barbarism of inhumanity against Muslim children. It is unacceptable, dehumanizing and reprehensible.
“We call on all government agencies responsible to fast-track the return and rehabilitation of the abducted kids with their parents and relatives and investigate further the reported cases of hundreds of the same criminality being reported by parents in Kano, and who knows where else in Muslim states. We also call on all parents to be vigilant of their children against criminal minds.
“The perpetrators must be tried and sanctioned appropriately in accordance with the relevant laws. We shall keep our eyes and ears opened to ensure that justice is done,” he added.
Dr. Aliyu also observed that if it was Christian children that were kidnapped and converted to Muslims, the “Christian Nigerian media” would have stuffed the airwaves and newspaper pages with inciting captions and derogatory names for Muslims.
“But alas! The usual conspiracy of silence on such issues which affect Muslims’ rights and dignity in Nigeria is now evident, as if nothing had happened.
“Tribal jingoists and religious bigots would have called for secession and poured all sorts of curses and invectives on Muslims and their religion.
“Allegations and agitations would have drowned everyone listening to the news by now. Social media would have been awash with floods of hate speeches and abuses,” he said.
Source: kanofocus.com
