Youth group accuses Bauchi authorities of defying court order on 17-year-old girl

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The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Billiri Local Government Area Chapter, has accused the Bauchi State Government and the Bauchi State Orphans and Vulnerable Children Agency of failing to comply with a Federal High Court order directing the release of a 17-year-old girl, Faith Barnabas, to her mother.

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In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of YOWICAN Billiri, Comrade Sarki Napthali, described the alleged continued custody of the teenager as “a clear case of contempt of court and a violation of the rule of law.”

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According to the group, Faith Barnabas, an indigene of Billiri Local Government Area in Gombe State, disappeared in April 2026 after completing her university entrance examinations while living with a guardian in Bauchi State.

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YOWICAN said the girl’s mother, Mrs. Kumabe Zakari, subsequently instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, challenging the circumstances surrounding her daughter’s disappearance and continued custody.

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The organisation stated that the court, in its judgment delivered on July 6, 2026, ordered the immediate release of the teenager to her mother.

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However, Napthali alleged that the Bauchi State Government and BASOVCA have yet to comply with the court’s directive.

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“As of today, August 2, 2026, the Bauchi State Government and BASOVCA have failed, refused and neglected to comply with the binding order of a competent court of law. This continued detention amounts to contempt of court and a direct violation of the rule of law,” he said.

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YOWICAN further alleged that the teenager was separated from her family after being groomed by an adult male and was later declared to have converted to Islam while in state custody.

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The group also claimed that an earlier order by a Bauchi District Court directing that the teenager be released to her mother was similarly ignored.

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Napthali argued that the alleged actions contravened the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Child Rights Act, the Bauchi State Child Protection Law, and relevant international human rights instruments safeguarding children’s rights and freedom of religion.

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“We call on the Bauchi State Government and BASOVCA to immediately and unconditionally obey the Federal High Court judgment of July 6, 2026, and release Miss Faith Barnabas to her lawful mother,” he said.

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Napthali also urged the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to enforce the judgment and ensure the protection of the teenager and her family.

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In addition, the organisation appealed to the National Human Rights Commission, the federal government, diplomatic missions and international organisations to intervene, warning that failure to enforce the court order could undermine public confidence in the judiciary and the rule of law.

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Efforts to obtain reactions from the Bauchi State Government and BASOVCA were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report as telephone calls and text messages sent to the relevant authorities were not responded to.

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