The Nigerian police recently apprehended an eight-member syndicate involved in child trafficking, specifically in stealing and selling children from the North to the Southern part of the country.
Presented to the public by Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Gumel, the arrested individuals included Chika Ezugbu, Joy Nzelu, Clement Ali, Emeka Ekeidigwe, and Comfort Amos.
During the parade at Kano’s Bompai Police headquarters, Comfort Amos was captured at Mariri Motorpark in Kano in the company of a five-year-old boy named Abdulmutallib Sa’ad, en route to Lagos.
Commissioner Gumel revealed that the suspects abducted the victims from Bauchi, highlighting the successful rescue and reunion of seven children with their respective families.
He said, “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.
“During investigations, we discovered that another victim, Ilya, had his name changed to Chidebere. He was abducted from Bauchi and sold at Nnewi.
“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.
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.”
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.
“We have arrested all the eight suspects and we have evidence of how they sold the victims and the money they received and they have confessed to how they bought and sold them,” he said.
While giving further details, spokesperson for the Kano state Police Command, SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, disclosed that Abdulmutallib was abducted on the December 12, 2023, from Zango Quarters in Bauchi State.
“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.
