Kano State Police Command, on Thursday, said it busted a child trafficking syndicate that sold children from the state for between N400,000 and N500,000 in Lagos, Anambra and other states in the South.
Also, the Police rescued seven children from the nine-man syndicate. The children were aged between three and eight years. It was learned that they were stolen as infants.
Meanwhile, before selling off the children, their names were usually changed.
The Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, paraded the suspects at the Bompai Police headquarters of the state.
Gumel said the command busted the syndicate when one Comfort was intercepted at the Mariri luxurious park in Kano. She was attempting to traffick a five-year-old victim (names withheld) to Lagos.
He said Comfort’s arrest led to nabbing other eight members of the syndicate.
According to him, “In the area of tackling offences around human trafficking, including the buying and selling of minors, the Police Command has conducted several intelligence-led operations.
“This led to the longtime cycle of inter-state trafficking syndicates hibernating around Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Delta, Anambra, and Imo states, etc identified and dismantled.”
How they nabbed the traffickers
Speaking on how the nine traffickers were arrested, the police boss said: “At the stage of preliminary investigation, four other suspects were separately arrested for being part of the syndicate.
“They are 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.
“It was discovered during the investigation that the child, who is from Zango Quarters, was abducted on December 12 from Bauchi State.
“Further investigation revealed that the suspects are in the same cycle of abducting, buying and selling minors from Bauchi and Kano states. They traffick and sell them to people within their racket in different locations in Lagos and Anambra states.
“In addition, 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, 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.
“It was found during investigations that another victim, Ilya, had his name changed to Chidebere. He was abducted from Bauchi and sold at Nnewi. He has also been rescued.
“The child that was rescued at Mariri Luxurious Park had his name changed to Ifenyin Chukwu and sold at ₦480,000. Asiya changed to Chioma and sold N480,000. She is four years, abducted in Bauchi and rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari Quarters, Kano.
“Mahmud Bilyaminu, aged three, 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, name changed to Chibuke also rescued at Yoruba Road, Sabon Gari Kano. Hafizu Hassan, eight, abducted from Bauchi, sold at ₦480,000, and his name changed to Uche Chukwu. He was rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari Kano.
“Chiamaka Ambrose, aged seven, abducted on her birthday at Yelwa Bauchi. She was sold at ₦300,000, but rescued at Niger Road, Sabon Gari Kano. We are still searching for her parents.
“Mohammed Iliya, aged five, was abducted from Bauchi three years back, sold at ₦500,000, 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.
“This is part of our determination to ensure that Kano State remains a place where the rights and dignity of every individual are upheld.’
