28th December, 2023
By Aminu Garko
Nine members of an interstate child abduction and trafficking syndicate with operations across seven states of Nigeria have been arrested in Kano.
The sydicate with operations amd members in Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Imo State were dismantled after months of diligent investigation, Kano Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel told journalists on Thursday.
According to him, the Kano Police Command had embarked investigation to unravel the syndicate began after series of reports on missing children in Kano
Gumel said the syndicate has been operating for over 10 years, engaging in interstate trafficking, abduction, buying and selling of minors.
Gumel said seven victims, mostly minors, were rescued from the suspects, adding that some of the children were sold for between N300,000 and N600,000.
“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 added.
“It was found during investigations that a victim Mohammed Ilya who was abducted from Bauchi but had his named changed to Chidebere, was sold recently at Nnewi in Anambra,” the commissioner of police said.
Gumel said the command was working with the state government to ensure that all the children were safely reunited with their original families.
He urged residents to be security conscious to avert such criminal acts as the police strive to ensure law and order in the society.(NAN) www.nannews.ng
AAG/MZA