The Department of State Security (DSS) on Monday, January 8 reportedly arrested one Engineer Simput Dafup for converting one Miss Nabila Umar Sanda Galadima from Islam to Christianity in Jos, Plateau State.
Miss Galadima a 200-level student of Bingham University, Karu , Nasarawa State, was said to have met Dafup for the first time in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, while the latter was enroute Nigeria from the United Kingdom.
According to The Guardian, the two got chatting and exchanged contacts afterwards.
Miss Galadima, 19, was said to have shown interest in converting from Islam to Christianity, which got Dafup worried as he feared what the lady’s father, Galadima Biu’s, reaction would be.
The lady had then assured him that all was well as she was old enough to make her own decisions.
Still unsure, Dafup reportedly informed one Evangelist Jerry Datim and sought his advice.
Datim, who felt the conversion could strain the cordial relationship between the Christian Association of Nigeria and Jamatu Nasril Islam in the state, decided to bring the attention of the JNI to the matter.
The trio of Datim, Dafup and Miss Galadima met the JNI leadership and informed them of the lady’s decision.
However, while the meeting was ongoing, Datim said operatives of the Department of State Security stormed his house, assaulted his wife, daughter and eight – month-old baby, and whisked Nabila away.
Datim, who addressed journalists in the state capital on Saturday, said, “As I address you , we do not know the whereabouts of Engineer Simput Dafup and Daniel Hassan , the taxi driver whose vehicle Miss Nabila boarded from Abuja to Jos.
“I want to state for the avoidance of doubt that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right of anyone to propagate his faith and the right to also practice any religion of one’ s choice . Miss Nabila told me she is 19 years old and therefore free to choose a religion for herself.
“I understand that her father has said he has all the connection in this country to deal with me , Engineer Dafup and any other person found to have converted his daughter to Christianity, and that he will ensure we rot in jail.
“I want to state here, without fear of contradiction, that Engineer Dafup, myself or any other person that has established any contact with Nabila, has breached any law of this land.”
He said the DSS should produce Miss Galadima “and place us side by side, so that they can ask her if she was forcefully converted to Christianity or abducted or brain washed . She is of age . Let her speak for herself on this matter. Let the whole world hear her . ”
He added, “In the event that his abductors insist on keeping him , wherever he is, I will begin to mobilise any moment after this press conference . They must not only release him immediately, they must ensure that he is in a good state of health . And the DSS must stop the harassment of members of my family or that of the family of Engineer Dafup or any other person allegedly involved in the conversion of Miss Nabila (Galadima).”