Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, through his deputy Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, announced the rescue of 14 children who had been trafficked to Anambra State. The children were victims of a notorious trafficker, Ngozi Abdulwahab, an Igbo woman who lured children from various Adamawa communities with snacks and gifts, before selling them for between N800,000 and N1.7 million each.
In a handover ceremony at the Government House in Yola, Farauta revealed how security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, collaborated to rescue the children and apprehend Abdulwahab. According to Farauta, Abdulwahab operated from a small provision shop in Yola, where she lured unsuspecting minors aged between 4 and 9 years.
Farauta condemned the crime as monstrous, emphasizing that the trafficker and her accomplices would face prosecution under various legal frameworks, including the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and the Adamawa State Child Protection Law, 2008. The governor’s office further warned parents to remain vigilant and avoid sending children under 10 years of age out alone.
In an emotional address, Farauta spoke on the unfortunate reality that Adamawa State had become a victim of this national issue of child trafficking. “Our state is now on the map for this monstrous act, which we once thought was a distant problem,” she said.
Governor Fintiri expressed zero tolerance for child trafficking, making it clear that those involved would be vigorously pursued. “Adamawa is the wrong place for traffickers. We shall dismantle their networks and ensure they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Farauta added on behalf of the governor.
To alleviate the suffering of the victims, the families of the rescued children received N100,000 each, along with food and non-food items to help them rebuild their lives. Farauta urged parents to take more responsibility in caring for their children, describing them as “sacred blessings from God.”
She concluded by calling on the public to be more proactive in reporting suspicious activities to curb child trafficking. “Together, we can protect our children from becoming victims of these heinous crimes,” she urged.
