The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a child trafficking syndicate and rescued 59 children.
The children, aged between 4 and 12 years, were rescued by the Police Patrol and Guard unit at about 3:30 pm along the Abuja-Kano route.
The team, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sarki Umar, intercepted a white Peugeot 15 bus with registration number KMC 283 ZJ, driven by Idris Usman, a resident of Kano State, and accompanied by Alhassan Ibrahim, also from Kano State.
Parading the suspects at the Command headquarters in Abuja, FCT Police Commissioner Tunji Disu said preliminary investigations revealed that the children, who came from different families, were being transported by Idris Usman, a resident of Nasarawa State. Usman allegedly travelled to Kano State to collect the children en route to Nasarawa State under the pretext of training them.
The commissioner said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking, given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.
“At present, the suspects, the vehicle, and all the children are in custody while a thorough investigation is underway.
“The Police Command is working closely with the FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to ensure the children are safely reunited with their families and to bring all those involved in this act to justice.”
Disu reiterated the commitment to protecting vulnerable groups, particularly children, from exploitation and abuse, in line with the Child’s Right Act 2003. He appealed to parents and guardians to remain vigilant and ensure the safety of their children.
In an interview with newsmen, Usman, who claims to run an Islamic school in Nasarawa State, said he has been a teacher for over forty years. The suspect, who claimed he was unaware that he had committed a crime by trafficking the children, admitted that while in training, he sends the children to beg for food to fend for themselves. He added that sometimes he receives food from kind-hearted Nigerians to feed the children.
He admitted that this was the first time he had taken such a large number of children to Nasarawa.
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