….Court Convicts Three Over Removal Of 16-Year-Old Girl From Parents’ Custody, Sentences Them To 10, 14 Years
Daud Olatunji
A Borno State High Court judgment has contradicted the narrative circulating on social media and attributed to Arise TV that a Christian woman was jailed simply for converting a Muslim teenager to Christianity.
PLATFORM TIMES obtained a copy of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, which shows that the criminal proceedings centred on allegations that a 16-year-old girl was removed from her parents’ custody, taken from Maiduguri to Jos, Plateau State, and subsequently enrolled in a Bible school without her parents’ knowledge or consent.
The judgment, delivered by Justice A.B. Kumalia of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri Judicial Division, on May 5, 2026, followed the prosecution of five defendants over offences relating to conspiracy to abduct a child, enticing a minor away from parental custody, unlawful removal, deprivation of education and interference with the child’s right to practise her religion.
In a statement reacting to the controversy, the Foundation of Nupe Lawyers challenged what it described as the misrepresentation of the court’s decision, insisting that the conviction was not based simply on the teenager’s conversion to Christianity.
According to the foundation, three defendants were convicted and sentenced to 14, 14 and 10 years’ imprisonment, respectively, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently.
The other two defendants were discharged for lack of credible evidence.
The foundation maintained that the conviction rested on evidence concerning how the teenager was allegedly taken away from her parents, transported to another state and prevented from continuing her formal education.
The teenager, identified as Aisha Kabiru Saleh, testified during the trial that she was 13 years old and attending Junior Secondary School Three at Yerwa Government Girls’ Secondary School when the incident began.
She told the court that a teacher she knew as Uncle Sani regarded her as his best student and frequently bought things for her.
According to her testimony, the teacher eventually invited her to Ngumati Super Store, where he bought items for her before taking her to the residence of the second defendant, Binta Mamman Sasuwa.
She said she was subsequently taken to the residence of Esther Simon, where she spent the night before being taken to church the following Sunday.
Aisha told the court that she was given a Bible and later taken to Jos by the teacher and a pastor identified as Daniel.
She said she was enrolled at Ismail Haga Foundation, which she described as a Bible school for discipleship and training of new converts, where she spent one year.
She subsequently moved to Christian Faith Ministry for a diploma programme.
The teenager said she later fell ill, underwent surgery to remove her appendix and became homesick after being discharged from hospital.
She eventually contacted her mother, who arranged for her return to Maiduguri.
However, in another part of her testimony, Aisha narrated how she allegedly travelled to Jos again with assistance from the first defendant, Lami Samuel Dawa.
She told the court that Lami gave her a mobile phone and SIM card and instructed her to meet at Baga Road.
