Abducted teenager reunites with family in Bauchi

There is a twist to the story of a 13-year-old girl, Grace Buba, who was allegedly abducted by her uncle, Dauda Buba, and converted to Islam in Bauchi.

Grace was released on Monday and handed over to her father, Bawa Buba, an ordained elder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, on Monday.

It was gathered that the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Baba Tijjani, ordered the release of the teenager.

Her release was sequel to a campaign mounted by the Pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Bauchi, Pastor Muri Rikwense.

Rikwense, who confirmed Grace’s release by the Commissioner of Police on Tuesday, said that she had already been reunited with her patents.

He also confirmed that the abductor had been arrested and was being investigated by the police.

However, while her parents and church members said that she was abducted, the police said that Grace willingly went to her uncle’s place and sought to be converted to Islam because she was allegedly being maltreated by her parents.

Our correspondent gathered that Grace was abducted on April 13, 2016 while she was on a visit to her uncle in Siri village of Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

According to a petition by her father to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, Grace followed one of her uncle’s children to spend the weekend in Bauchi, but was kept back by her uncle without his approval.

But the Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State command, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the release of the girl, told our correspondent in an interview that the whole story was twisted by some people.

According to him, when the story got to the notice of the commissioner of police, all the parties were invited, including the girl and her alleged abductor.

He said, “In the presence of her parents and everybody, the girl said that she decided to run away and stay with her uncle because she was being maltreated by her parents.”