Some Nigerian Christian clerics are seeking quick intervention of the United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF), the Ministry of Women Affairs, and all Child Rights Network in the case of the Almajiri boy who was serially raped by a homosexual fish seller at Maraban Jos in Kaduna State.

The seven-year-old Almajiri boy, Aminu Ibrahim was lured with fish head and raped by the fish seller. And after each act, he warned the boy against telling anyone about the abuse.

Adamu Umar, the Islamic teacher of the victim when contacted by our reporter on Saturday at his Islamic school in Maraban Jos, Kaduna, said the victim was brought to him from Kano for Almajiri, and that, the parents were yet to be informed of the incident.

“I am the one who discovered what happened to the boy and reported the case to the police.”

A Kaduna based Non Governmental Organisation, Arridah Relief Foundation of Nigeria, has dragged the fish seller who resides in Maraba Jos in Igabi Local Government Area of the state before a Sharia Court for forcefully having sex with the seven-year-old boy through his excretory organ.

The Chairperson of the NGO, Hajiya Rabi Salisu Ibrahim, has confirmed when contacted by our reporter in Kaduna.

But Pastor Yohana Buru, who is the Overseer of Christ Evangelical Intercessory Fellowship, said there is need for human rights organisations including UNICEF and volunteer groups that fight against child exploitation in Africa, Children’s Rights Alliance, Action on Rights for Children and Network of Civil Societies Organizations and Non-Governmental Organization in the country to immediately rise to fight for the young boy that was reported to have been abused severally by rapist that allegedly turned the boy into his sex partner.

He said the recent report indicated that the culprit has been working around freely doing his fish business without any hindrance.

In a chat with journalist on Friday in Kaduna, Mr. Buru said a situation where only an NGO responded to the case, despite the wide spread information across Nigeria by national and international news agencies over the abuse of the young Almajiri boy left much to be desired.

“It is shocking to discover that, it’s just only one Non-Governmental Organisation called Arridah Relief Foundation’ that took the case to Sharia Court that is fighting for the innocent Almajiri boy.

“I was expecting to see many human rights and religious leaders and Nigerians show much concern on the case and the health status of the young boy, most especially the challenges he passed through when excreting, but the reverse is the case.”

He, however, pointed out: “It’s indeed a clear fact that the increasing hardship, orchestrated by recession, has began to take heavy toll on Almajiris, following rampant reports of cases of rape of young people, including children, in some parts of northern states.

“This is causing a serious set-back to the education of Arabic in the region.”

He said the ugly incidents of young Almajiris has caused so much damages to the education of the young boys that came from far distance in search of knowledge, stressing that it’s high time the Ministry of Women Affairs and all the network of child protection rise against all forms of humiliation and abuse of children especially the Almajirai in the northern region.

He urged the Ministry of Women Affairs at both state and federal levels to promote a multi-sectoral programme synergy for the realisation and enhancement of the survival, development, protection and participation rights of children in Nigeria with particular reference to the achievement of set targets enumerated in the Child’s Right Act 2003.

“We must work as a team to end all forms of child abuse in our society so as to save lives of our young children from the hand of rapist, the devils destroying their future.”

He equally called on the Council of Imam and Ulamas in the country to begin to sensitise Almajirai school teachers on the dangers of sending those children for begging to dangerous areas in search of their daily meals.

•Photo of Aminu, the Almajiri rape victim with Rabi Salisu Ibrahim, Founder of the NGO that took the suspect to Sharia Court. Photo: Garba Ahmed.

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