Adamawa:12 trafficked minors reunited with parents

The Adamawa State Government has rescued and reunited 12 trafficked minors, aged 4-9, with their families after they were abducted and taken to Anambra State. The Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, disclosed this to journalists during the official handing over of the children to their parents on Wednesday at her office in Yola. Farauta described […]

The Adamawa State Government has rescued and reunited 12 trafficked minors, aged 4-9, with their families after they were abducted and taken to Anambra State.

The Deputy Governor, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, disclosed this to journalists during the official handing over of the children to their parents on Wednesday at her office in Yola.

Farauta described the gathering as a “mixed feeling of sadness and joy,” noting that the incident was a tragic one that had befallen the state.

She explained that upon receiving an intelligence report, the government, in collaboration with the police, DSS and NSCDC, launched a joint operation to track down the traffickers.

According to her, the operation led to the arrest of the ring leader, a middle-aged woman of Igbo extraction identified as Ngozi Abdulwahab.

Farauta said the victims were sold for amounts ranging between N800,000 and N1.7 million per child.

She added that the suspect operated a small provision shop at Jambutu Ward, Yola North LGA, where she used snacks and gifts to lure unsuspecting children.

She said the state government had already put in place aggressive measures to dismantle the trafficking network and prosecute the perpetrators.

Daily Trust learnt that the rescued children had been in the custody of the state government for the past one month, receiving medical care and undergoing rehabilitation.

To cushion the effect of the reunion and support the families, the state government provided N100,000, as well as food and non-food items, to each household.

It also announced that the Ministry of Women Affairs, in collaboration with the welfare departments of the respective LGAs, would carry out routine follow-ups to monitor the children’s upkeep and reintegration.