CSW – Rejoice Gwammikat Daniel Chirdap, the 16-year-old who disappeared during a visit to her fathers house in Kagadama, Yelwa has been returned to her family.
Rejoice disappeared on September 12. Two days later her family received a letter from the Bauchi State Shari’ah Commission informing them it had given custody of Rejoice to Imam Yakubu of Kagadama, Yelwa. There has been no explanation as to how Rejoice, a minor, came to be in the Commission’s hands without parental consent.
Following widespread publicity and high-level advocacy on Rejoices disappearance, the Bauchi State Police Force finally took action on September 23.
They intervened decisively and the Bauchi State Shariah Commission handed Rejoice over to her family. Although somewhat traumatised by her experience, a medical examination revealed that Rejoice was otherwise unharmed.
Stuart Windsor, CSWs National Director said: We are deeply relieved that Rejoice is back with her family and has not been physically harmed. It is wonderful to be able to see this traumatic experience for Rejoice end so quickly and peacefully. We remain concerned over the volatile situation in northern Nigeria and continue to press the Nigerian government to uphold the countrys secular constitution in those states which have declared shariah law to be the highest legal authority.
