The Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, has condemned the trend of kidnapping and selling of children, mostly northern minors, to southern parts of the country.

The emir expressed his concern on Saturday in Kano while addressing reporters.

Represented by Dan Malikin Kano, Ahmad Umar, the first-class traditional ruler, said the emirate would no longer condone the abduction and trading of children in the state.

He said the issue has gotten out of hand and that proactive action must be taken to curb it.

“This ugly trend must stop. We have to rise up against it. We will no longer condone a situation whereby our children are kidnapped and sold, and their tribe and religion are changed.

“The situation cannot stop itself; it is we who will make it stop. It happened a few years ago, and now it has happened again. Only God knows how many of our children had been kidnapped and sold,” he said.

This followed Kano State Police Command’s statement on December 27, 2023, saying it had dismantled a human trafficking syndicate that specialised in the abduction, buying and selling of minors.

The emir said the emirate had expressed great disappointment over the abduction of minors and called for the punishment of the perpetrators to serve as a lesson to others.

“Kano, for hundreds of years, has been welcoming visitors and taking them as its sons. Recently we have seen a disturbing and unfortunate incident of rescuing children trafficked to Lagos through Kano,” he stated.

In his remarks, the leader of the Igbo community in Kano, Eze Ndigbo, Boniface Igbekwe, condemned the act and called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to book.

Represented by the prime minister of the Igbo community, Nwaimo Efanyi, he said the Igbo community had received the news of the kidnapped children rescued by the police with shock and disbelief.

He said the entire Igbo community in Kano had dissociated themselves from the suspects and any heinous acts committed in their name, stressing that they are always committed to living peacefully with one another.

“We condemned the act in its entirety in whatever guise and call for punishment on the perpetrators. We Igbo dissociate ourselves from this criminality. We call for peace with one another,” he stated.

Speaking earlier, the state chairman of the ACF, Goni Faruk Umar, lauded the political commitment demonstrated by Governor Abba Yusuf and the police commissioner, Hussaini Gumel, for their dedication and support to the victims and their parents.

“Our call is to police to double up their efforts in searching and bursting these criminal gangs,” he said. “Our call is also to the judiciary. They should fear God. At times, these suspects would be charged to court by police, but later on, you see them released and moving freely.”

He added, “To legislators, we urge you to make robust legislation against this act of kidnapping and abduction of people. All hands must be on deck to check this ugly trend.” 

(NAN)