Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has reunited 14 abducted children with their families, following the dismantling of a human trafficking syndicate operating in the state. The children, aged between four and nine, were rescued after months of surveillance and coordinated operations by security agencies, including the Police, DSS, and NSCDC.
Represented by his deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, at the official handover ceremony in Yola, Fintiri condemned the alarming rise of child trafficking, describing it as “a sad and strange reality” that has now caught up with Adamawa. He warned parents against exposing children under 10 to unnecessary risks, such as errands or unaccompanied trips to school, stressing that government would no longer tolerate such negligence.
According to Farauta, the traffickers lured unsuspecting minors with snacks and gifts at a provision shop in Jambutu, Yola North LGA. The ring leader, identified as Ngozi Abdulwahab, allegedly sold the children in the southeastern part of the country for sums ranging between ₦800,000 and ₦1.7 million each. She assured that the suspect and her accomplices would face full prosecution under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, the Adamawa Child Protection Law, and other relevant statutes.
The governor further pledged that Adamawa State would become unsafe terrain for human traffickers, vowing to flush out their networks. “Our citizens are our most cherished assets, and under no condition should anyone convert them into commodities of trade,” he declared. To support the rescued families, government presented each parent with ₦100,000 alongside food and non-food relief items to aid resettlement and household upkeep.
Farauta urged parents and guardians across the state to be more vigilant and responsible in raising their children, describing them as “sacred blessings from God.” She called on the public to promptly report suspicious activities to authorities, while reaffirming the administration’s commitment to safeguarding the future of every child in Adamawa.
