A story run by Premium Times on Monday had quoted Ese Oruru, who was allegedly abducted from her home in Bayelsa State and forced into marriage to one Yunusa in Kano, as saying she is 17-years of age.

The original premise of the story and the online campaign to free Ese was that she was a starry eyed 14-year-old who knew very little about why she was being taken.

But Ese’s family, including her immediate elder brother, her mom and dad, have all refuted the Premium Times story, maintaining that their daughter is 14 years of age, well below the age of consent.

“I am 16 years old. I was born on Nov 23, 1999”, said Ese’s elder brother, Onome Oruru, in an interview with Punch. “My mother told me so and that is the date I celebrate my birthday every year. I just graduated from secondary school last year here in Bayelsa State, at the age of 16. All my peers are in my age bracket. I am certain of my age because I am old enough to know. Ese and I attend the same school. She was in JSS3 last year when she was taken away”.

Onome says folks claiming his sister is 17 are just manipulating the entire episode to save face. “It is funny that these people are saying all sorts of things about my sister and her age. Everybody can see it, it is clear. I can’t be 16 years old, and my younger sister will be older than me. How can she be 17 years old, when my immediate elder sister, will clock 19 years old on March 7 this year? We all have about two years’ age difference in between. Ese clocked 14 on February 22.

“I do not believe them at all. Even if she said that as they claim, then it means they are the ones manipulating her to say such things, because Ese that I know cannot say such a thing.

“Ese is that kind of person that does not even want to become a Muslim at all; she would not even dream of it. In school, she was one of the strongest Scripture Union members; I know her very well. Then, she also used to tell me to come and join the SU. She did evangelism during break time most times.

“Ese is still a small girl and cannot decide many things for herself. Ese cannot even wash clothes very well. She likes singing and she was a chorister in the church. She likes preaching and praying. She used to preach to me and my friends. All those things they are saying she said are not true; they are manipulations by those people. I am sad about all of this. I just want my sister back home”.

Onome also described Yunusa who abducted his sister as an Aboki who looked harmless and who sold wares in their neighborhood. “He looked very innocent and went about his business without complaint. When I heard he was the one that abducted my younger sister, I was very shocked and surprised.

“If you look at his face, he looks like someone who cannot hurt a fly, and he was sometimes playful. I didn’t believe he could do such a thing. Everybody in the compound knew him because he used to supply water before he became a keke Marwa (tricycle) rider.

Ese’s mother, Rose, was also quoted by the newspaper as saying her daughter has probably being brainwashed to say some of the things she’s been quoted to have said.

“We do not have an official birth certificate because Ese was born in a nursing home on February 22, 2002, in Opolo, Bayelsa State. We did not have money to go to a regular hospital. Ese’s immediate elder sibling, Onome, a boy, was born on November 23, 1999. I always write the date of birth of all my children down,” said Rose.

Ese’s dad, Charles, was quoted as saying:

“They are all lies. My daughter is 14. They know that Nigerians are now against them and they want to do everything to cover up their crime and make us look like fools. My daughter will never say a thing like that.

“I went to see the Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa today, and he said my daughter would be released this week. He said when the Emir of Kano returned from his travel, they would release my daughter to the Inspector-General of Police. I was happy, but skeptical because they have said the same thing before, and they did not free my daughter. I won’t believe anything until I see my daughter, Ese, in person. For now, it is still a probability.”