Patience Paul, 14, a schoolgirl, was allegedly abducted and converted to Islam. She has now been rescued and will be reunited with her parents on Saturday, according to TheCable. Patience’s father, Paul Isaac Adaji, had reported her missing since August 12, 2015,
Adaji, said his daughter was forcefully abducted by hisbah in Gidan Kukah, Runjin Sambo, Sokoto. Aminu Tambuwal, the state governor, ordered investigation into the saga after it went viral this week. She was found on Friday night at the house of one Malam Ibrahim, who calls himself Sarkin Baki (“king of strangers”).
Some hisbah (Sharia police) personnel had taken Patience to an imam in Runjin Sambo area of Sokoto with a claim that she wanted to convert to Islam. The imam asked of her age and was told she was 14. He sought the opinion of the Sultanate Council who directed the imam not to proceed because she was underage and could not make such a weighty decision yet.
He was instructed to let her go, but the Imam then informed the hisbah. Rather than let her return to her family house, they took her to the Sarkin Baki who claims he provides residence to indigent persons. The “king of strangers” then kept her in his house since September.
He claimed he adopted her because he didn’t want to let her be with the hisbah. He, however, allowed her to be attending both Islamic and government junior secondary school. A police source said Patience claimed she was afraid of returning home because of possible reprisal from her siblings.
