The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has condemned the trend of kidnapping and selling children, mostly northern minors, to the southern parts of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that he expressed his concern on Saturday in Kano speaking with newsmen.
Represented by the Dan Malikin Kano, Ambassador Ahmad Umar, the first class traditional ruler said the Emirate would no longer condone abduction and trading of children in the state.
Bayero said the issue has gotten so out of hand that proactive action must be taken to curb it.
He said: “This ugly trend must stop.
“We have to rise up against it.
“We will no longer condone a situation whereby our children are kidnapped, sold and their tribe and religion were changed.
“This illicit act must stop.
“We have to rise up to check the situation as it is going out of hand.
“The situation cannot stop itself.
“It is we that will make it stop.
“It happened few years ago and now it has happened again.
“Only God knows how many of our children had been kidnapped and sold.”
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the Kano State Police Command on December 27, 2023 said it had dismantled a human trafficking syndicate that specialised in abduction, buying and selling of minors.
The command added that nine suspects had been arrested from the syndicate, which was operating around Kano, Bauchi, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Imo States.
It also rescued seven children, majority from Bauchi State, from the suspects.
Bayero said the emirate had expressed great disappointment over the abduction of the minors.
Describing the situation as disturbing, he called for punishment on the perpetrators to serve as a lesson to others.
The royal father noted that Kano had been accommodating visitors for hundreds of years, emphasising that they should not take the advantage of the hospitality received by the state to commit crimes.
He added: “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.
“The Emir expressed the serious disappointment of Kano and northern Nigeria about the incident and wants to see a lasting solution to the problem.”
In his remarks, the leader of Igbo community in Kano, Eze Ndigbo Boniface Igbekwe, also condemned the act and called on authorities to bring the perpetrators to book.
Represented by Prime Minister of the Igbo Community, Chief Nwaimo Efanyi, he said the Igbo community had received the news of the kidnapped children rescued by the police with shock and disbelief.
Igekwe said the entire Igbo community in Kano had dissociated themselves from the suspects and any kind of heinous acts committed in their name, stressing that they are always committed to live peacefully with one another.
He said: “We condemn 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.”
The Eze Ndigbo commended the Kano State Police Command for dismantling the syndicate and rescuing the victims, urging it not to rest on its resolve until all kidnapped children were rescued.
Speaking earlier, the state Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Dr. Goni Faruk Umar, lauded the political commitment demonstrated by Governor Abba Yusuf and the Commissioner, Kano State Police Command Hussaini Gumel.
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Umar said: “Our call is to police to double up their efforts in searching and bursting these criminal gangs.
“We really commend the police for this breakthrough.
“We thank them immensely.
“Our call is also to the judiciary.
“They should fear God.
“At times these suspects would be charged to court by the police, but later on you see them released and moving freely.
“We therefore call on the judiciary to be diligent and ensure the perpetrators face the wrath of the law.
“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.”
