Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The Federal High Court Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday fixed the next hearing date for December 8, 2016 in a case involving the alleged abduction and forceful marriage of 14-year-old Ese Oruru by Yunusa Dahiru.
But just as the court adjourned to a new date, following the absence of the trial judge, Justice Ajiya Nganjiwa, parents of the young girl called on the governments of Bayelsa and Delta states, to facilitate the release of the teenager who has been under “protective custody” since early this when the police took over her case.
The parents lamented that it was an irony of sorts that while the accused was enjoying freedom on bail, the victim was being denied freedom under the guise of protection.
They insisted that the conditions that Ese, who gave birth to a baby girl on May 25, 2016 while in Police care at the Police Officers Mess in Yenagoa , and her baby were kept was not conducive for the welfare of both of them.
Dahiru, was arraigned on March 8, 2016 before the Federal High Court, Yenagoa on charges of criminal abduction, illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor, but was eventually granted bail.
Ese’s father, Mr. Charles Oruru, expressed sadness over his daughter’s stay at the police officers mess with the new born baby, arguing that Ese was supposed to have returned to school.
“My daughter has been yearning and even crying to go back to school as her classmates are now ahead of her. She has lost a whole year to this saga and she is still in Police protective custody while the accused is enjoying freedom on bail.
“I am begging the Delta government , Nigeria, and the world at large to come to our aid. Nowadays, without education one is going nowhere, so she is not doing anything in their custody, while the accused moves freely and she is suffering there,” he said.
Oruru added: “I have called on the Delta government to assist because I have five children of which Ese is the second to the last child, so my state should come to my family’s aid,” he appealed.
Ese’s mother, Mrs Rose Oruru, said her daughter was not being properly taken care of as a nursing mother, with regards to nutrition and psychological care in a homely environment.
She said: “People from Bayelsa have been assisting us and even the police officers, we want to leave there to our house because the place (Police Officers Mess) is not a good place to stay and bring up a new born baby.
“We were just abandoned in a room that we were not even allowed to go out, we stayed with our trash bin which is smelling , we and the new born baby are compelled to breathe the offensive smell.
“So the world should note that we are being marginalised for no reason, and even the boy Yunusa is still owing me some money after taking my daughter to Kano to impregnate her for me.”
Counsel to the accused, Mr. Kayode Olaosebikan who was in court with Yunusa, said no information was given as to the reason for the court’s failure to sit.
He said the case has been adjourned till December 8 for further hearing of the matter.
But one of the prosecution lawyers, Mr. Deme Pamosoo, said he believed that the case was still on course, even though no reason had been communicated as to why the judge was not in court.
Ese was allegedly abducted in Bayelsa in August 2015 and taken to Kano where she was forcibly married and converted to Islam.
