NSCDC foils attempted child trafficking in Kano, arrests two suspects

File image: NSCDC operatives

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kano State Command, has foiled an alleged attempt to traffic two minors and arrested two suspects in connection with the incident.

A statement released on Thursday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the suspects were apprehended at Wailari in Kano following a report by a family member of one of the victims.

“The suspects, identified as Sadiq Muhammad Abdullahi, 25, and Destiny Joseph, 18, were arrested at Wailari, Kano, following a report by a family member of one of the victims,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the two suspects confessed to committing the alleged crime.

It added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects allegedly lured the two minors, aged 10 and 12, with promises of money and gifts, with the intention of trafficking them to another part of the country for financial gain.

“The investigation is also looking into allegations that the children may have been intended for ritual purposes.

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“In what investigators described as part of the alleged trafficking plan, Sadiq Muhammad reportedly took photographs of the minors in an attempt to establish contact with a trafficking syndicate.

“However, the plan was uncovered after a family member of one of the victims became suspicious and promptly reported the matter to the NSCDC office at Wailari, leading to the arrest of the two suspects at their residence,” the statement read.

The NSCDC State Commandant, Mohammed Hassan Agalama, has directed the command’s Gender Unit to conduct a thorough investigation into the case, with a view to uncovering the full circumstances surrounding the attempted trafficking and identifying any other persons who may be connected to the incident.

It further said that upon completion of the investigation, the suspects would be handed over to the Kano Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.

The commandant commended the family member who promptly reported the suspicious development, stressing the importance of community vigilance and timely reporting in preventing child trafficking, abduction and other forms of exploitation.

He further urged parents, guardians and members of the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious movement or activities involving children to the nearest security agency for prompt action.