For a while now, the story of Ese Oruru has been making the wave in the social media circle. Ese Oruru is a 14 years old girl from Bayelsa state who was allegedly abducted by one Yinusa Yellow and taken to Kano to be married.
There are different versions of the story: one says that Ese Oruru willy-nilly eloped with Yinusa to Kano to be converted and married, but her parents’ version seems to be the most popular- that she was abducted and forcefully married.
Muhammadu Sanusi II, the emir of Kano, has described as mischievous, the allegation that he ordered Ese Oruru, a 14-year-old girl who was allegedly converted to Islam, to be held captive in his palace.
Speaking at a press conference at his palace on Monday, the emir said the story was crafted to tarnish the emirate council and Islam. Sanusi said people from within and outside the country have been calling him over the issue.
“Since September last year, the district head of Kura came to palace with a young girl of about 15 years, alongside with somebody from the area, whom we were told was married to him after she was converted to Islam,” he said.
“I ordered for her immediate repatriation to her parents who were said to be in Bayelsa state. I ordered the Kano State Shariah commission to liaise with the assistant inspector general (AIG) zone 1 to assist in taking her back to her parents in Bayelsa, through the AIG who oversees Bayelsa axis, for her safety.
“In Islam, she has no right to just go ahead and decide things for herself. She is still young. She is not matured enough. And there is nowhere in Islam where such young girls can just make up their mind and give their hands in marriage just like that. It is not permitted in Islam. That is why we said she must be taken back to her parents.
“To my utter surprise, since from the time we ordered that the girl be taken to her parents in Bayelsa through AIG Zone 1 office, we didn’t hear anything about her. Just for us to now start hearing all kinds of stories that we are keeping her in our custody. This is injustice of the highest order.”
Sanusi said when he learned that she came back to Kano after she was repatriated during the first encounter, he insisted that she must be taken back to her parents in Bayelsa.
“I am therefore giving an order that an investigation should immediately commence with the AIG office to know the position of things since that time we ordered for her repatriation to her parents,” he said.
“We cannot in anyway be more Muslims than the Prophet of Islam Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him. We must therefore do things according to the set rules and regulations governing our religion.”
