The Adamawa State Government has successfully rescued fourteen children who were trafficked from the state and sold in Anambra State for prices ranging between ₦800,000 and ₦1.7 million per child.
The children, aged between four and nine years, were formally reunited with their families during a special ceremony held on Wednesday, August 20, in Yola, the state capital.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Governor Kaletapwa George Farauta described the development as both heartbreaking and relieving.
According to her, the government became alarmed after receiving a series of reports in July about missing children across different communities in the state.
In response, a joint operation involving security agencies was launched to investigate and track down those responsible.
The operation eventually led to the arrest of Mrs. Ngozi Abdulwahab, a suspected human trafficking kingpin who allegedly masterminded the abductions.
Farauta revealed that Abdulwahab operated a modest provision shop in Jambutu Ward, Yola North Local Government Area, which she used as a cover to lure unsuspecting children.
She reportedly enticed them with snacks, sweets, and other small gifts before trafficking them to the South-East for illegal sale.
“It is a mixed feeling of sadness and joy,” the deputy governor said.
“Sadness because Adamawa has unfortunately been drawn into the web of child trafficking, a monster destroying the lives of innocent children across the country.
And joy because today, fourteen of our children have been rescued, rehabilitated, and reunited with their parents.”
Farauta stressed that the rescued children were victims of a well-organized criminal network that had perfected the act of selling minors to buyers in Anambra State.
She described the act as “inhuman, barbaric, and unacceptable,” vowing that the full weight of the law would be brought down on the suspect and her accomplices.
According to her, the culprits will face prosecution under several laws, including the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015, the Adamawa State Child Protection Law of 2008, the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of 2021, as well as provisions of the state’s Penal Code.
To cushion the trauma and provide immediate relief, the deputy governor announced that each family of the rescued children would receive ₦100,000 in financial support, alongside food items and other non-food essentials.
She reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening community vigilance, law enforcement, and awareness campaigns to ensure that such an incident never occurs again.