Kaduna Women Protest Naked Over ‘Detained Children’

From Julius B. Kezi, Kafanchan
Some Kaninkon women on Thursdays staged a protest at the Kafanchan Police Area Command, over the detention of their children arrested for alleged destruction of a Fulani hamlet at Bakin Kogi Kaninkon, Kaduna State.
The women, who appeared naked in their numbers, holding green leaves, demanded the unconditional release of their wards as they saw no reason why they should be detained by the police.
One of the women, who spoke to news men on condition of anonymity, alleged that the police were torturing the arrested youth to a point of hospitalizing some of them.
She argued that since the youth took themselves and others were handed to the police by the community after receiving report of the destruction of the hamlet, it was not proper for them to be subjected to torture.
The Kafanchan Divisional Police Officer (DPO), DSP Francis Williams and clergymen, including a Reverend Father who represented the Catholic Bishop of Kafanchan, the Most Right Reverend Dr. Joseph Danlami Bagobiri, attempted severally to address the protesters, but failed to gain their attention as they chanted profusely “release our children”.
His Highness the Tum Ninkyob, Mallam Tanko Tete, through the District Head of Bakin Kogi Kaninkon, apologized to the Police over the actions of the youth and women.
He solicited for cooperation of the populace to ensure the issue is resolved amicably.
Speaking when contacted, the acting chairman Jema’a Local Government, Mr. Leo Shekari, urged people of the area to support, sustain and promote the peace-building process by living in peace and harmony, respect and tolerate one another, stressing that “we need one another in life”.
Addressing a delegation of the Tum Ninkyob, Mallam Bako Galadima, the District Head of Bakin Kogi, officials of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Community Peace Partnership (CPP) Jema’a, Inter Faith Mediation centre (IMC) and Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), who waded into the issue, the Police Area Commander, Kafanchan, Mr. Abdullahi Ibrahim thanked them for showing concern.
He drew their attention to what the country was going through, including insurgencies, pointing that the action of the youth being interrogated for their involvement in the destruction of the hamlets, amounted to disrespect to parents, traditional rulers and constituted authority and if allowed to go unchecked, would breed lawlessness in the society.
The women who were deceived to go naked to demand unconditional release of the youth on interrogation were acting in ignorance to obstruct he course of law, stressing “they must be advised to stop exposing their bodies as it is against religious and cultural norms as well as constitute abuse of woman hood, “ the Area Commander said.
He urged Nigerians to put all hands on deck to fight evil and terrorism, thereby contributing to peace building process and laying solid foundation for speedy development.
On behalf of the Tum Ninkyob, the District Head of Bakin Kogi, Mallam Bako Galadima, apologized over the behaviour of the youth and the women which he said went contrary to religious and cultural norms.
He assured that steps were on to address the issue and that those found wanting would be reprimanded.
However, he appealed to the Police, traditional and religious institutions as well as peace mediation bodies to find amicable settlements of the issue.