No fewer than seven children from Bauchi State have been reunited with their parents by Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano State on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Police in Kano burst an inter-state child abduction and trafficking syndicate and arrested nine suspects after months of tracking across seven states.
The investigation was initiated by the Police Command in Kano state following reports of missing children.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Husseini Gumel, told newsmen in Kano that the syndicate had been operating for over 10 years, and allegedly specialised in inter-state trafficking, abduction, buying and selling of minors.
He said diligent investigation helped to dismantle the syndicate which has members in Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Imo states.
Yusuf, who was moved to tears of joy by the commendable efforts of the Kano state police command, expressed his appreciation for their work.
The governor however expressed dismay by the discovery of seven children abducted from Bauchi state and then trafficked and sold in Anambra and Lagos states.
Yusuf urged parents to remain vigilant and attentive to the well-being of their children as a fundamental responsibility.
He also called on his Bauchi state counterpart to take decisive legal action against the arrested suspects.
Responding on behalf of other parents, Malam Abdulmutallif Sa’ad from Bauchi, expressed their gratitude to Yusuf and the Kano police command for recovering their children and pledged to be more vigilant.
The nine suspects apprehended by the Kano state police command were brought alongside the children they stole from Bauchi state and intercepted at Mariri motor park in Kano while en route to Lagos and Anambra states.
Speaking on behalf of the Bauchi state government, Mrs Sha’awanatu Yusuf, the Director of Public Prosecution at the state Ministry of Justice, emphasised the unity of Kano and Bauchi states for greater good.
She assured that the Bauchi state government would take the necessary legal steps to ensure that the suspects were brought to justice and face the full consequences of the law.
Additionally, the Kano state governor donated N500,000 to each of the seven recovered children. (NAN)