The Kaduna State Government under the Schools Quality Assurance Authority today, Friday closed two Islamiyah schools indefinitely over alleged defilement and impregnated two minors, 6 and 12 year old girls respectively.
One of the schools, Madrasatul Ulumul Deeniya wa Tahfizul Qur’an, located in Rigasa, was closed over an alleged defilement of a six-year-old girl in the school premises.
The second Islamiyah school, located at Tsohon Masallacin Juma’a in Kachia, Kachia Local Government Area, was also closed following an alleged impregnating of a 12-year-old girl by a 50-year-old teacher at the school.
The Overseer of the KSSQA, Mr Idris Aliyu, who closed the Islamiya school in Rigasa, explained that the six-year-old girl was violated within the school premises and the school authorities covered it up and claimed ignorance of the incident.
Aliyu added that the information before the Ministry of Education showed that the survivor’s grandmother went to the school authorities to complain but was allegedly beaten by the students and teachers of the school.
He said that Governor Nasir el-Rufai had ordered that the Islamiyah be closed indefinitely until investigation is concluded and the culprit produced.
He added that the headteacher of the school would be held responsible for the act until all persons in the school were profiled and the perpetrator identified and prosecuted.
However, the headteacher of the school, Malam Kabir Abdullahi, denied the allegation, saying “it is not defilement. What we gathered is that an unidentified boy injured the girl in her private part with a stick.”
Abdullahi said that the case was already being investigated by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Rigasa, ASP Abubakar Bauranya.
On his part, the DPO confirmed receiving the matter and equally aligned with the narrative of the headteacher of the Islamiyah school.
But the grandmother of the survivor, Hajiya Batul Gambo, insisted that her grandchild was violated and had been confirmed by Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Tudun Wada, Kaduna.
A medical report signed by Dr A Raji confirmed Gambo’s claim that the six-year-old was defiled.
On the impregnated 12-year-old girl in Kachia, Aliyu said that the survivor was six months pregnant.
He said that the school was equally closed as directed by Governor el-Rufai, stressing that the safety of the pupils cannot be guaranteed.
He added that Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, and the Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Halima Lawal, would work closely with the police to investigate and ensure justice.
