The Chief Imam of Gashua, Yobe State, Umar Abubakar, who was accused of converting to Islam a 13-year-old girl, Hauwa Dadi, has insisted that the girl wanted to convert to Islam of her own volition.
Miss Dadi, an SS1 student of the Brighter Academy Secondary School regained her freedom four days after being allegedly abducted for the purpose of forcing her into a marriage.
The 13-year-old daughter of a former Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria eloped with her SS3 lover and was allegedly habored at the palace of the Emir of Gashua.
Narrating his own side of the story, the chief Imam told DAILY NIGERIAN that he stopped her decision to convert to Islam on account of her age.
“Hauwa went to the emir’s palace and was subsequently dispatched to me for interview and proper conversion.
“Upon learning of her age, I ordered her to go back home and meet me the next day in the emir’s palace.
‘’I met the emir the following day and narrated Hauwa’s situation to him. He called a meeting with Her family. The police, DSS and other security agents attended the meeting.
“Hauwa was persuaded for two hours to go back to her parents, but she declined. The meeting was adjourned by the emir to 3pm because the emir had other engagements.
“The meeting resumed at 3pm, but upon all the pleas for her to go home, she still declined.
“The meeting was again adjourned till the next day. After persuasion, she agreed to go home the following day on the condition that she would not be punished by her brothers Daniel and Jonathan.
“This is actually what transpired. Nobody forced her to accept Islam or abducted her for Islamization,” he added.
