The Kano State Police have arrested eight suspected child traffickers that specialise in stealing, selling and buying minors in the north to the southern part of the country.
The Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Gumel, while parading the suspects at the Bompai Police headquarters, Kano, identified some of the syndicates including Comfort Amos who was arrested in Mariri motor park in Kano with a five-year-old son, Abdulmutallib Sa’ad, en route to Lagos.
The CP noted that the suspects stole the victims from Bauchi, noting that the seven children were rescued and reunited with their families.
“Abdulmutalib Sa’ad was sold to Ifeanyichukwu for N480,000, and another girl child Asiya Mukhtar, who was also sold to Chioma for N480,000. Both of them were brought from Bauchi State.
VICTIMS’ NAMES CHANGED
The commissioner revealed that the suspects also changed the names of the minors before selling them off to the buyers.
“During investigations, we discovered that another victim, Ilya, had his name changed to Chidebere. He was abducted from Bauchi and sold at Nnewi,” he said.
He continued: “The child that was rescued at Mariri Park (Abdulmutallib Sa’ad) had his name changed to Ifenyin Chukwu and sold at N480,000. Asiya changed to Chioma and sold N480, 000. She is four years old, abducted in Bauchi and rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari Quarters, Kano. Mahmud Bilyaminu, aged three, was abducted from Bauchi, re-named Chioma, sold for N450, 000 and rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari, Kano.
“Usman Adamu, aged eight years, abducted from Bauchi, sold at ₦450,000, the name changed to Chibuke also rescued at Yoruba Road, Sabon Gari Kano. Hafizu Hassan, eight, abducted from Bauchi, sold at N480,000, and his name changed to Uche Chukwu. He was rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari Kano. Chiamaka Ambrose, aged seven, was abducted on her birthday at Yelwa Bauchi. She was sold at N300,000, but rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari Kano. We are still searching for her parents.”
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The CP added that “Mohammed Iliya, aged five, was abducted from Bauchi three years back, sold at N500,000, and renamed Chidebere. He was rescued at Nnewi, Anambra State. Some of these children are cultured and assimilated as they can no longer speak their parents’ language.
THE ARREST OF THE SUSPECTS
Gumel said the police arrested eight suspects who are presently in police custody.
“We have arrested all the suspects and we have evidence of how they were sold and the money they received and they have confessed to how they bought and sold them,” he said.
SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, the spokesperson for the command, in an interview with the BBC Hausa, stated that Abdulmutallib was abducted on the 12th of December, 2023, from Zango Quarters in Bauchi State.
He said other suspects apprehended include Chika Ezugbu, Joy Nzelu, Clement Ali, and Emeka Ekeidigwe, all residents of Kano, who were implicated in the activities of the criminal group.
“So far, we have arrested a total of eight suspects, they are Ezugbu, 52, of Sabon Gari Quarters; Nzelu, 43, of Sabon Gari Quarters; Ali, 35, of Badawa Quarters, Kano, and Ekeidigwe, 55, of Weatherhead Sabon Gari Quarters Kano,” he said.
Kiyawa noted that “during the investigation that the child, who is from Zango Quarters, was abducted on December 12 from Bauchi State, adding that “the suspects are in the same cycle of abducting, buying and selling minors from Bauchi and Kano states. They traffic and sell them to people within their racket in different locations in Lagos and Anambra states.”
“In addition,” he continued, “two more syndicate members were arrested in Bauchi. They are Yarima, 45, of Zango Quarters, Bauchi, and Samuel, 35, of Yelwa, Bauchi State.
“Also, one other syndicate member was arrested in Lagos State. She is Obi, an indigene of Nnewi, Anambra State, aged 59 years. Through her another syndicate member was also arrested in Nnewi. She is Eriobuna, aged 59. This brought the total number of arrested trafficking suspects to nine,” the police chief further revealed.”
Kiyawa explained that the victims’ ages range from three to fifteen years adding that two victims from Bauchi were sold for N480,000 each.
