In a significant crackdown, the Kano State Police Command announced on Thursday that it successfully dismantled a child trafficking syndicate involved in selling children from the state for staggering amounts ranging between N400,000 and N500,000 in Lagos, Anambra, and other southern states.
The operation led to the rescue of seven children, aged between three and eight, from the nine-man syndicate.
Shockingly, investigations revealed that these children had been stolen as infants, and prior to being sold, their names were systematically changed to conceal their identities.
Police Commissioner Mohammed Gumel disclosed these developments as he paraded the suspects at the Bompai Police headquarters of the state.
The breakthrough occurred when Comfort was intercepted at the Mariri luxurious park in Kano, attempting to traffick a five-year-old victim to Lagos. Comfort’s arrest subsequently led to the apprehension of eight additional members of the syndicate.
Commissioner Gumel outlined the extensive intelligence-led operations conducted by the Police Command to tackle offenses related to human trafficking, buying, and selling of minors.
The operation successfully dismantled inter-state trafficking syndicates operating across Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Delta, Anambra, and Imo states.
During the preliminary investigation, four additional suspects were separately arrested for their involvement in the syndicate.
They were identified as Ezugbu, 52, of Sabon Gari Quarters; Nzelu, 43, of Sabon Gari Quarters; Ali, 35, of Badawa Quarters, Kano; and Ekeidigwe, 55, of Weitherhead Sabon Gari Quarters Kano.
Further investigation uncovered the intricate cycle of abducting, buying, and selling minors from Bauchi and Kano states.
The traffickers operated within a network that trafficked and sold these children to individuals in their racket in different locations in Lagos and Anambra states.
Additional arrests were made in Bauchi and Lagos, with syndicate members Yarima, Samuel, Obi, and Eriobuna being apprehended.
This brought the total number of arrested trafficking suspects to nine.
The rescued children had undergone traumatic experiences, with their names changed and being sold for substantial amounts.
Examples include Ilya, whose name was changed to Chidebere, and Asiya, renamed Chioma, both abducted in Bauchi and later rescued in Kano.
Commissioner Gumel expressed the Police Command’s determination to ensure that Kano State remains a place where the rights and dignity of every individual are upheld.
Investigations are ongoing to reunite rescued children with their families and locate the parents of Chiamaka Ambrose, aged seven, who was abducted on her birthday in Yelwa Bauchi.
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