Abductors of Kano children must be punished

The National Council of Islamic Scholars under the aegis of Majlis Atta’awun, Kano State branch, has called for immediate prosecution of abductors of the nine Muslim children from Kano, who were allegedly sold in Anambra and converted into Christianity.

The state chairman of the council, Sheik Abba Adam-Koki made the call at a news conference in Kano on Wednesday.

He said the prosecution of the perpetrators of the dastardly act was necessary to maintain sanity and peace in the state and the country at large.

“It is a notorious fact that the crime of child trafficking is synonymous with slavery.

“This is because they both involved the acquisition and movement of persons across local, regional and international borders for exploitation means which is usually without the consent of the victim,” he said.

Adam-Koki, who condemned the act in strong terms, also urged the Federal government and the National Assembly to take urgent steps to check the ugly trend in the interest of peace and unity in the country.

He noted the abduction of the nine children was against the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and provisions of chapter four of Nigerian Constitution on fundamental right to life, dignity of human person, personal liberty, fair hearing among others.

“The crime of child trafficking and forceful conversion to another faith is also condemned and proscribed by our laws. We, therefore, ask the authorities to prosecute the culprits to serve as deterrent to others,” he said.

Adam-Koki appealed to the general public not to allow emotions to becloud their judgement as not all Christians were involved in this criminal behaviour.

“Many adherents of Christianity are decent and peace loving. Such Christians will never descend so low as to seize, convert and sell Muslim children.”