Concerns Over Missing Christian Teen in Nigeria
In a troubling development from Nigeria, a Christian teenager has been missing since December 1, raising fears of forced conversion by a Muslim policing body. The family of 15-year-old Ummi Tambaya, worried about her whereabouts, believes she might be coerced into converting to Islam.
Pastor Kabiru Usman disclosed to Sahara Reporters that the Kano State Hisbah Board, responsible for enforcing Sharia law among Muslims, is holding Ummi at Rogo. The teenager has not been seen since the start of December 2025.
Efforts to secure Ummi’s release by Rogo’s divisional police officer, Suleiman Ibrahim, and local district head, Umar Abdulkadir, have been unsuccessful. The Hisbah commander, Malam Sani, has allegedly refused to free the girl.
The teen, from Kadafa Bari District in Rogo, is reportedly under the custody of Hisbah after expressing a desire to convert to Islam. Pastor Usman, however, accuses local authorities, including the Department of State Services, of inaction. He mentioned that a local officer demanded 20,000 naira ($14) purportedly for fuel expenses.
“We are appealing to relevant authorities to come to our aid. The family of Ummi are traumatized, we don’t know her present condition and we are afraid the culprits will escape this because we have had five other similar cases of forceful conversions of our girls in the area,” Pastor Usman stated.
Adding to the concern, the Hisbah commander allegedly misled Usman by claiming that Ummi was with “human rights people.” Pastor Usman insists the commander knows her whereabouts, urging intervention from concerned parties.
According to sources close to the Hisbah commander, individuals identified as Abba Sheshu, Mansir Surajo, and Tasiu Bello were involved in Ummi’s abduction, despite her mental health issues. Reports suggest her family believes a young Muslim man, who persistently proposed marriage to Ummi despite her refusals, orchestrated her kidnapping.
Shamsu Tambaya, a relative, revealed that Ummi was moved through various locations before reaching the Hisbah commander. Tambaya refuted claims that Ummi sought help from a human rights group, asserting, “And God is my witness, only God knows that this girl has never even known what human rights are in this world.”
After reporting the matter to both local and state police, the family reportedly faced demands for “transport fare,” with no subsequent action taken. Tambaya stressed that Ummi, who also suffers from mental health issues, is not of legal age to change her religion.
Calls for government intervention are growing, with Tambaya appealing for assistance in securing Ummi’s return: “If the government will look into this matter for us, let them look into it and bring our daughter out for us.”
Contacted by Sahara Reporters, the Hisbah commander requested the identity of the complainant but withheld further information once informed it was Ummi’s family. He insisted that any detailed discussion must occur in person at his Kano office.
Former Muslim turned Christian evangelist, Ibrahim Dikko, took to Facebook, highlighting the urgency of the situation, “Why did the Muslims and the Hisbah break the law by snatching a 15-year-old girl and forcefully convert her to Islam? They must release that girl back to her parents and the church.”
Nigeria ranks seventh on Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List of countries where Christians face severe challenges.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
