Police Arrest Nine For Child Trafficking

Nine suspects who specialise in inter-state trafficking, abduction, buying and selling of minors have been arrested by the Kano State Police Command.

This was disclosed by the state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, on Thursday while parading the suspects at the Bompai command’s headquarters on Thursday.

Gumel said seven victims, who are mostly minors, were rescued from the suspects.

According to him, the suspects were nabbed after conducting several intelligence-led operations through which the long time cycle of interstate trafficking syndicates hibernating around Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Imo states were identified and dismantled.

“It was through diligent investigations by our dedicated team of officers that the operation of these criminal networks that have been in existence for more than 10 years were identified,” he said.

The commissioner disclosed that some of the rescued children aged between three and eight that were rescued were sold at between N300,000 and N600,000 depending on their ages.

“It was discovered during investigations that a victim, Mohammed Ilya, who was abducted from Bauchi but his name changed to Chidebere was sold recently at Nnewi in Anambra State,” Gumel said.

He said the command would collaborate with the state government to ensure that all the abducted children were safely returned and reunited with their original family members.