Muslim girls cautioned against cyber blackmail at Tamale mentorship programme

The growing threat of online blackmail targeting young girls and the importance of preserving Islamic identity in an increasingly digital world took centre stage at a mentorship programme organised by the Muslimah Mentorship Network (MMN) at the Fatima Farida Islamic Institute in Tamale.

The outreach, held at the institute’s Kpalsi branch on Monday, July 27, brought together female students for discussions on online safety, personal development and faith under the theme, “Islamic Identity and the Modern World.”

The programme formed part of MMN’s mentorship initiative aimed at supporting young Muslim women through guidance on education, leadership and contemporary social challenges.

A Detective Corporal with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Mutawakil Kassim, cautioned participants against sharing explicit images online, warning that such content could be used by criminals to blackmail victims.

Drawing on his experience in criminal investigations, he advised the girls to protect their privacy and report any form of online abuse or intimidation to trusted adults or the police instead of suffering in silence.

An MPhil candidate at the University for Development Studies, Faculty of Sustainable Development Studies, Mr Sa-ad Iddrisu, urged the participants to remain to their faith while pursuing their educational and personal ambitions.

Speaking on the theme, “Balancing Deen and Duniya,” he encouraged the girls to emulate the Mothers of the Believers and the Sahaabiyat, whom he described as examples of women who combined strong faith with purposeful lives.

An MMN member, Mariam Abdul Karim, said the Network sought to mentor young Muslim women by building their confidence, character and sense of purpose.

She encouraged the girls to uphold their Islamic identity and resist pressures to seek validation through societal trends, saying Islam had affirmed the dignity and worth of women through the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Chief Inspector Rahinatu Massi Confe urged the participants to take both Islamic and secular education seriously, describing the combination as essential to raising confident and responsible leaders.

She reaffirmed MMN’s commitment to supporting the personal development of young Muslim women through mentorship programmes across underserved communities.