Joel Gomiyar

4 min read

Security

Christian Woman Laments 17-Yr Old Daughter’s Prolonged Stay in Bauchi Orphanage

September 4, 2026 Joel Gomiyar

A Christian mother in Bauchi State has appealed to the government, security agencies and relevant authorities to intervene in the prolonged stay of her 17-year Old daughter, Faith Barnabas, in an orphanage in Bauchi State. The mother, Mrs. Kumabe Zakari, who spoke during an interview, alleged that her daughter was abducted following an incident surrounding her reported conversion to Islam and subsequent relationship with a young man. According to her, Faith’s father died when she was young, and she had raised her daughter from the age of three, taking responsibility for her education and upbringing in the Christian faith. “She is 17 years old. Her father is late. Since she was three years old, I have been taking care of her, right from nursery school through secondary school,” she said. She said the matter began when Faith left home to sit for an examination but did not return, prompting the family to begin a search for her. According to her, the family was later informed that Faith had converted to Islam and that her name had also been changed. She said the development prompted her to travel to Bauchi from Jos, where she is doing her youth service, to find out what happened to her daughter. Mrs. Zakari said Faith was eventually handed over to her and brought to Jos, where they stayed for about five days before the teenager reportedly disappeared again. The mother alleged that Faith had used a neighbour’s phone to contact a young man identified as Sadik Ahmed, who subsequently travelled to Jos and took her away. She said the family reported the matter to the police, who later contacted the girl who allegedly had provided the phone and discovered through a telephone conversation that Faith was with Ahmed. According to the mother, Ahmed was arrested in Bauchi and admitted that Faith was with him, but claimed that he had taken her to Kaduna. She said the police gave him three days to return the teenager, after which she was brought back. However, she alleged that instead of being reunited with her family, Faith was taken to the Sharia Commission and later placed in an orphanage while investigations continued. Mrs. Kumabe Zakari said she initially reported the matter as an abduction case but alleged that it was later treated as a religious issue. She further claimed that an official at the Sharia Commission told the family that Faith could only visit them under certain conditions, including renting a house and taking her to visit the family before returning her later in the day. The mother said she rejected the arrangement, insisting that she is the mother and is still capable of taking care of her daughter. ...