The Bauchi State Police Command has issued a fresh order directing representatives of a church, The Gospel of Christ Must Be Preached International Ministry, popularly known as Bishara Dole, to return to its headquarters on Thursday with 16-year-old Jennifer Joseph and her biological parents.
According to SaharaReporters, the fresh invitation comes barely two days after the police released Jennifer to her parents’ following weeks of controversy over her custody, religious identity and conflicting allegations involving Bishara Dole and an Islamic Da’awah group.
The latest development followed a video in which Jennifer reportedly said she was coerced while in the custody of the Da’awah group to make allegations against Bishara Dole and its officials.
Jennifer had earlier made allegations against the Christian ministry in a viral video circulated by Islamic cleric Adam Ashaka and repeated some of the claims during a meeting last Sunday at the office of the Bauchi State Police spokesperson, SP Nafiu Habib.
However, following her release to her biological parents on Monday, Jennifer reportedly absolved Bishara Dole founder, Rev. Mohammed Mohammed, of allegations of child molestation, saying she had initially been coerced to make statements against the ministry.
She also retracted her earlier allegation against Rev. Badamasi, a Bishara Dole official who had remained in police custody over the allegation that he molested her while travelling with her from Adamawa State to Bauchi.
In a fresh video, Jennifer reportedly described the allegations she previously made against Bishara Dole officials as lies and said she had been pressured to make them.
The development has now prompted the police to direct Bishara Dole representatives to return with Jennifer and her parents for another appearance at the command.
The dispute became public after Jennifer’s mother, Saratu Daniel, from Ganye Local Government Area of Adamawa State, appealed to PresidentBola Tinubu and the Bauchi State Government for intervention over what she described as the alleged abduction and forced Islamisation of her 16-year-old daughter.
Saratu alleged that Jennifer had been introduced to Islam during a family visit and that, after learning of the development, she took her daughter to Bishara Dole in Bauchi for assistance.
She subsequently alleged that a man identified as Abubakar, whom she said had presented himself at the Christian facility as a convert undergoing classes, removed Jennifer from the centre and took her to an Islamic Da’awah group without the family’s consent.
The mother said she reported the matter to the Bauchi State Police Command and was initially informed that she could take her daughter home, but alleged that the arrangement later changed.
Rev. Mohammed Mohammed confirmed the incident at the time and called for an independent investigation into how Jennifer left the facility and subsequently came under the control of the Da’awah group.
He also rejected allegations of child molestation made against the ministry, describing them as serious claims that should be independently investigated.
The controversy escalated after Jennifer’s parents travelled from Adamawa to Bauchi following an invitation from the police.
According to an account previously reported by SaharaReporters, the Bauchi Commissioner of Police reviewed the case and directed that Jennifer be released to her parents. An Assistant Commissioner of Police was reportedly instructed to facilitate the handover.
However, the proposed release was halted after representatives of the Da’awah group objected, citing concerns over the teenager’s safety and urging the police to take the matter to court.
Jennifer was subsequently placed temporarily under the Bauchi State Agency for Orphans and Vulnerable Children, BASOVCA, pending further deliberations.
The development left Jennifer’s parents stranded in Bauchi after travelling from Adamawa expecting to return home with their daughter.
The matter took another turn on Sunday, August 23, when Jennifer’s parents, their legal representatives, Bishara Dole officials and representatives of the Da’awah group met at the office of police spokesperson SP Nafiu Habib.
Bishara Dole alleged that Jennifer was taken to an undisclosed location for about an hour before being brought into the meeting and subsequently asked to choose between her parents and the Da’awah group.
The ministry questioned why a 16-year-old minor should be required to make such a choice in a disputed custody matter.
Habib, however, denied that the teenager was asked to choose between her parents and the Da’awah group.
According to the police spokesperson, his role at the meeting was not to investigate the case but to obtain information from the parties on how the command should relate with the media.
He said he actually asked Jennifer whether, if she were released, she would prefer to live with her mother or grandmother. He also denied preventing participants from expressing their views, explaining that the meeting was not an investigative session.
After weeks of controversy, the Bauchi Police Command released Jennifer to her biological parents on Monday.
Rev. Mohammed confirmed the development to SaharaReporters but disclosed that Rev. Badamasi remained in police custody over the earlier molestation allegation.
Mohammed rejected the allegation and called for a proper investigation into the matter. SaharaReporters reported that it could not independently establish the circumstances surrounding Badamasi’s detention or the allegation against him.
Jennifer’s release appeared to bring an end to the immediate custody dispute, with the teenager finally returning to her parents.
However, her subsequent video retracting the earlier allegations and claiming that she had been coerced has now triggered another turn in the controversy.
The latest police invitation has raised fresh questions over the command’s handling of the case, particularly why Jennifer is being ordered back to the command shortly after she was released to her biological parents.
The development is also coming amid the reported attempt by police to detain two Bishara Dole officials who went to secure the release of Rev. Badamasi, who remains in custody.
The reported incident has further heightened concerns among members of the ministry over whether the police are treating all sides impartially.
SaharaReporters said it contacted SP Nafiu Habib for clarification on the latest invitation.
Habib simply said any of the officials involved should put a call through to him so that he could understand exactly what the matter was.
The latest development has therefore reopened a case that appeared to have reached a temporary resolution with Jennifer’s release, with fresh questions now surrounding the conflicting accounts, the teenager’s latest statements and the continued detention of a Bishara Dole official.
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