A 13-year-old Christian orphan, David Tarfa, died last week in Kano State government custody after complaining of stomach pain for days without medical attention.
The tragedy unfolded at the Nassarawa Government Orphanage, where authorities discovered David’s body in unsanitary conditions.
His siblings found him upon returning from school, prompting immediate outrage over apparent negligence.
David had suffered untreated stomach aches for about a week before his death.
This incident stems from a long-running dispute that began on Christmas Day 2019.
Armed security officials raided Du Merci Orphanage in Kano, seizing 27 children—including David—and arresting its founder, Professor Solomon Tarfa, along with his wife, Mercy.
Authorities accused the couple of operating illegally and abducting the children, charges that courts later dismissed.
An appeals court acquitted Tarfa of forgery in 2023, and a Kano State High Court issued a consent judgment in March 2025 mandating the children’s return to the Christian orphanage.
Despite the ruling, officials failed to release all the children.
Eight returned earlier through intermediaries like the Christian Association of Nigeria, but David and others remained detained.
Reports indicate some children faced pressure to adopt Islamic practices, including name changes and Quran studies at a separate facility.
Human rights activist Rinu Oduala sharply condemned the federal government over the death.
She declared, “Nothing is too small or big for Tinubu to do away with,” linking the tragedy to broader patterns of impunity under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Kano State Attorney General intervened decisively after officials attempted a rushed burial without notifying the Tarfas or confirming David’s Christian faith.
He insisted on an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death, given the ongoing court case.
Authorities then transferred the body to a hospital morgue for the procedure.
The death leaves seven children still in state custody from the original group.
Advocacy groups, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide and International Christian Concern, have long highlighted the prolonged trauma, neglect, and alleged religious coercion these orphans endured.
This case continues to fuel demands for accountability, proper medical care in state facilities, and swift compliance with judicial orders protecting vulnerable children.
