Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State yesterday directed the state’s Human Rights Commission to wade into the alleged abduction of a 14-year-old Miss Patience Paul, on August 12, 2015.
The governor’s directive came as the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, directed the Sokoto State Police Command to immediately commence investigation into the case of the girl against the backdrop of reports of the forcible abduction of the Benue-born girl, who was alleged to be held in the palace of the Sultan.
Tambuwal, in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the commission should conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and report to him. The statement read: “On the case of alleged forceful abduction/forceful conversion of 15-year-old Patience Paul from Benue State, in Sokoto State, I wish to make the following statement.
“On Wednesday, March 2, Governor Aminu Tambuwal directed the state Human Rights Commission to undertake a thorough investigation into the allegations and report same to the government. “In the interim, the Human Rights Commission was asked to present an interim report and update the public with all information as it becomes available.
“In the first 24 hours, the Commission has contacted the Sultanate Council and the state police command for a briefing.
“The Commission has also spoken to the state Hisbah Commission, as well as the person whose phone number was given in the initial allegation made online. “Despite efforts, however, the Rights Commission has been unable to contact the family of Patience Paul or anyone who will shed more light on the allegations. “It has now opened a public plea, urging Ms Paul’s family or representatives to contact it for a detailed briefing.”
On his part, IGP Arase, who was in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, for a peace meeting between Agatu farmers and Fulani herdsmen, seized the opportunity of his chat with journalists to comment on the alleged abduction and there he gave the directive.
Mr Arase acknowledged a petition written by a family member of the victim, Miss Patience Paul Adaji, an indigene of Benue State who resides with his relatives in Sokoto State.
Just a day earlier, the Police had successfully rescued and reunited 14-year-old Ese Ururu with her family after months of captivity in the hands of her abductors in Kano State. (Channelstv, Vanguard)