- Nine suspects who are mainly women were arrested in possession of the stolen children
The Kano Police Command has apprehended a child trafficking syndicate specialized in stealing children from the Northern Region and selling them for not less than N300,000 each to the Southern States.
The Police said they made serious inroads in tackling the outright stealing and trafficking of children around Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Maiduguri and other places, nine suspects who are mainly women were arrested in possession of the stolen children.
Police Commissioner, Muhammad Usaini Gumel, told Newsmen, on Thursday, that Human Trafficking including buying and selling of children has become a source of worry in Kano and other places, a reason why the Police stepped up intelligence networking resulting in tracking down one of the main networks.
He said the Police tracked down the syndicate operating around Bauchi, Gombe Delta and other places, and nine suspects were arrested with seven kidnapped children, who had been stolen some few months back.
He said, “We first tracked down a boy at Mariri Motor pack with some non-indigent persons who didn’t understand his language, and after arresting them, we traced all other seven persons in connection with the kidnapping of seven other children”.
A boy, Muhammad Illiya’s name was changed to Chidiebere and was sold at N450,000 while Muhammad Bulyaminu was recovered from Sabon Gari Kano and was sold at N450,000, and Chiameka was abducted at birth and was sold at N350,000, but her parents are yet to be identified.
The Police Commissioner said another Muhammad Illiya was rescued from Nnewi Anambra State and was stolen at 3 years of age. Now he is 5 years old and cannot speak his Mother tongue and was sold at N500,000.
Those arrested in connection with the Child Trafficking include Chika Ezugu, 53 old, Joy 43, Clemente Ali 35 and Emeka Ekedugwu 55, Berut Yarima 45 from Bauchi and Ndama Obi from Nnewi and Ebere Emmubu.
Muhammad Usaini Gumel explained that when the Police placed an announcement for the parents of the boy they came all away from Bauchi and identified their son.
“The Police have imposed security measures to tackle the new wave of security challenges in Kano and environ and we have neutralized many kidnap networks. Nine gang members were arrested in possession of many kidnapped persons who have been reunited with their families.