Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — A 13‑year‑old Christian orphan named David Tarfa has died while in the custody of the Kano State Government, intensifying an already controversial dispute over the detention and treatment of children taken from a Christian orphanage. The incident has drawn criticism from human rights advocates and reignited concerns about compliance with court orders and the welfare of vulnerable children.
David, a resident of the Du Merci Children’s Home, died last week at the Nassarawa Government Orphanage in Kano after reportedly suffering prolonged illness. Legal representatives and orphanage staff have alleged medical neglect, saying he complained of severe stomach pain for several days before his death.
The controversy surrounding David’s death is rooted in a protracted legal battle between the Kano State Government and Du Merci, a Christian‑run orphanage that has been at the centre of disputes over child custody and alleged mistreatment since 2019. That year, security forces accompanied by agents of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) raided Du Merci facilities in Kano and nearby Kaduna and transferred dozens of children to state‑run homes. The orphanage’s co‑founder, Professor Solomon Tarfa, was arrested then charged with operating without proper registration, though he was later acquitted on appeal. Despite his acquittal, several children remained in government care — a situation human rights lawyers have repeatedly described as unlawful.
A court order in 2025 had reportedly directed the release of children still held by the state following the consent judgment, but Du Merci representatives contend that it was not fully implemented and that several minors, including David, remained detained against the court’s directive.
The circumstances of David’s death have sparked particular concern. Reports indicate that as soon as authorities discovered he had died, there were attempts to proceed with burial arrangements without appropriate notification or respect for his Christian faith — including an alleged push to bury him according to Muslim rites, which his legal representatives and orphanage officials challenged. In response to the controversy, the Kano State Attorney General has ordered a full autopsy at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital to determine the cause of death and guard against manipulation of the facts.
Human rights advocates and legal counsel, including international lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe, have sharply criticised the handling of the case. They argue that David’s death underscores systemic issues affecting the remaining children still in custodial care, including inadequate medical attention and prolonged separation from their family and faith community. Calls have grown for the immediate release of all minors still held by the state and for accountability in light of the well‑documented legal and welfare concerns surrounding the Du Merci matter.
The Du Merci dispute has drawn attention both domestically and internationally. Earlier reports noted that children taken from the orphanage faced alleged religious pressures and restricted access to school and church activities while in government facilities, conditions that have been criticised by rights groups as violations of child protection and religious freedom norms.
The broader context of the case reflects ongoing tensions over governance, religious freedom and legal compliance in northern Nigeria, where child rights and welfare enforcement have faced repeated scrutiny. According to recent human rights data, child rights violations — including neglect and domestic abuse — are among the leading categories of complaints in Kano State, highlighting entrenched challenges in safeguarding the wellbeing of children under institutional care.
As the autopsy moves forward and legal efforts to secure the release of remaining Du Merci children persist, David’s death has become a focal point in debates over government accountability, the rule of law and the protection of vulnerable children in Nigeria’s social welfare system.
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