The abduction of Habiba Isa, has been a headache for her parent as they want their daughter back to them.
Recall that the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Usman has been accused of marrying off Habiba to her kidnapper, although, he dismissed the allegation, saying the girl had indicated her interest in the marriage.
Habiba had also dismissed the claims of her forceful marriage , saying that she changed her religion and married in her own volition.
While her father insisted that the Emir forced his daughter to get married, he said Habiba must be returned a virgin, exactly the way she was before her abduction.
In a chat with Punch, Habiba father, Isiyaku Tanko (70) states that he never marry off his daughter to lawal and didn’t collect money (N50,000) from anybody as bribe price, she was forced into marrying Lawal who lives close to us in the community. On his plans to get his daughter back since he did not give her out in marriage to Lawal or anybody, Isiyaku said, “I was forced to sign a prepared form. I would not have allowed them to take her away from me. I was forced.
Asking about his daughter behaviour, he said “Before she was taken away, I did not notice any change in my daughter’s behaviour especially her religious beliefs. There was no such thing. She did not change in any way, not even in her religion. She is a very dedicated Christian who believes in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Speaking about the questions answered by his daughter, “She answered yes to the questions. When they asked her to stand up and follow me, she refused saying she would not follow me. I believe that my daughter was charmed. The way I saw her that day was not the way my daughter was. She has never disobeyed me.
“I was threatened and molested when I went to the palace on that day. I faced serious threat, they even wanted to beat and mob me, even though five people accompanied me there.”
Asked if he wrote the emirate council to apologise for any embarrassment he might have caused it on the issue of his daughter, the father of eight said, “No. I was given a prepared form. I was only told to sign on it and with a threat that if I did not do so, they would kill me.
Isiyaku plead with the government to help bring his daughter back.
I want President Muhammadu Buhari to assist me to get my daughter back. I desire nothing more. My wife has not been feeling well since the abduction of her daughter. I am also not feeling well at the moment because of the issue. She is still a small child, am afraid of her being impregnate, I want her to remain as she was before she was forcefully taken away from us. My daughter was a virgin before her abduction to the emir’s palace, i want my daughter to be returned to me as she was (Virgin), Isiyaku cried out.