Crime

Police return rescued trafficked children to Bauchi State

Published by Fakinlede Tope John on January 4th, 2024.

Police return rescued trafficked children to Bauchi State

The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Abdulkadir, on Wednesday, received seven children who were kidnapped in the state and trafficked to Kano before being rescued by police operatives in Kano State.

The governor announced N1m donation each to support the education of the children while urging their parents to shun any thought of revenge.

The Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor, Lawal Muazu, disclosed this in a statement made available to The PUNCH on Wednesday.

The PUNCH reports that the Kano State Police Command arrested nine suspects who allegedly specialised in inter-state trafficking, abduction, buying and selling of minors.

The state police commissioner, Usaini Gumel, explained that the suspects were apprehended after conducting several intelligence-led operations through which the long-time cycle of inter-state trafficking syndicates hibernating around Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Imo states was identified and dismantled.

According to Gumel, a total of seven victims, who are mostly minors, were rescued from the clutches of the harrowing criminal activities.

Muazu stressed that the governor expressed concern over the kidnapping and human trafficking business by some unscrupulous elements in the state while interacting with parents of the abducted children after their repatriation from Kano State.

He said, “Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has called on citizens particularly parents to refrain from any revenge, emphasising the importance of upholding unity, tolerance and togetherness of Nigeria.

“While charging parents to be guided by the ideals and the rules of law, Mohammed commended the Kano state government and security agencies for their prompt response and commitment to rescuing the victims and the arrest of the perpetrators.

Governor Mohammed, who announced the donation of N1m each of the seven children to fund their education, called on religious groups, civil society organizations as well as traditional institutions to continue to educate the public on the parental obligation.”