The Adamawa State Government on Wednesday reunited 14 children rescued from a child trafficking syndicate with their parents in Yola.

The Deputy Governor, Kaletapwa Farauta, speaking at the ceremony in Yola, described the development as “a mixed feeling of sadness and joy.”

“It is a mixed feeling of sadness and joy; it is sad that today, Adamawa is on the map of an unfortunate monster ravaging the nation, the monster of child trafficking. This is a story we often hear happening far away, but unfortunately, it has caught up with us,” Ms Farauta said.

She explained that following intelligence reports of missing children in July, the government inaugurated a joint operation with security agencies, which led to the arrest of a suspected trafficking leader, Ngozi Abdulwahab.

“This notorious trafficker has perfected the art of trafficking minors aged four to nine years from various communities in Adamawa State  to the southeastern region of Nigeria. There, she sold the victims for paltry sums ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million per child.

“She operated from a small provision shop which she owned at Jambutu ward, Yola-North LGA, where she used snacks and gifts to lure unsuspecting children. Today, we have rescued 14 children, rehabilitated them, and prepared them to be reunited with their respective families,” the deputy governor said.

She assured that the suspects would be prosecuted under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

Others are the Adamawa Child Protection Law (2008), the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021, and the Penal Code of the state.

Ms Farauta also said each rescued child’s family would receive ₦100,000, food, and non-food items to aid their reintegration, while the Ministry of Women Affairs and local government welfare departments would conduct routine follow-ups.

She urged parents to take parenting seriously, describing children as “sacred blessings from God” who must be nurtured with love and protection.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Niedo Geoffrey, commended the swift response of the government after the children were trafficked to Anambra State.

Ms Geoffrey said, “We received the children on arrival but did not hand them over immediately to their parents; we kept them for thorough medical checks so we could reunite them healthy and strong.’’

She stressed the need for public awareness on child trafficking, adding that parents, communities, and neighbours must remain vigilant.

The state Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hassan Nai’bi,  said the agency handles cases of trafficking, child abuse, exploitation, and sexual offences.

He warned that traffickers face stiff punishment under the law once found guilty.

A parent reunited with her seven-year-old daughter, Fauziya Suleiman, expressed gratitude to the government for the intervention.

“I cannot explain how I feel seeing my daughter again. It has been 12 months since she went missing at age six. My daughter went missing after I sent her to buy soup ingredients near our house; since then, her siblings have been too scared to go out and play. I suffered miscarriages, fell sick many times, and thought I would never see her again. I am so happy she is back home. I thank the government and security agencies,” she added.

(NAN)