Niger govt takes custody of 21 children rescued from trafficker

Arrests trafficker
Trafficker has my consent, says a parent of two

From John Adams, Minna

The Niger State government has received 21 children who were being trafficked from Magama local government area of the state but were rescued by security agents in Gaidam, Yobe State.

The State Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, who received the children on behalf of the Niger State government in Minna on Wednesday, stated that the children were being taken to Cameroon, Mali, and Niger Republic en route Yobe State before their luck ran out.

However, the Deputy Governor did not release the names of the suspected traffickers, as investigations are still ongoing. He explained that the rescued children were from Magama local government area of Niger State.

In a dramatic turn, a father of two of the children, Jamilu Usman, claimed that his two children were given to the suspected traffickers with his consent and authority, insisting there was nothing criminal about it.

While thanking the federal government, security agencies, and other relevant bodies for the successful rescue of the children, the Deputy Governor pointed out that human trafficking, especially of children, amounts to inhumanity, as victims are often subjected to various forms of abuse.

Garba further stressed that trafficking is a crime that undermines common principles of brotherhood, and he reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting individuals from all forms of trafficking, violence, oppression, injustice, and other inhuman treatment.

He maintained that this singular act of human abuse violates the Nigerian Constitution, particularly Section 34, Subsection 1, and Section 13, which forbid all forms of human trafficking in the country.

However, Jamilu Usman, who identified two of his children—Umar Jamilu, six years old, and Maruf Jamilu, five years old—revealed that Malam Abubakar, one of the suspected traffickers, was a well-known person to them, having lived and studied in Niger Republic. This added a twist to the whole trafficking case.

He told journalists that it was with his consent that his two children were taken to Niger Republic, where they were meant to acquire Islamic knowledge. Usman claimed he is the headmaster of Tungan Gari Primary School in Magama local government, with four wives and 30 children. He further explained that as he is set to retire in the next five years, catering for his 30 children would be difficult, which led him to allow his children to go with Malam Abubakar.