News Editor
By our FCT Correspondent
Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police has intercepted a 15-seater Peugeot bus transporting 59 children suspected to be trafficked.
The children who were between the ages of 4 and 12 were said to be on their way to Nasarawa State under suspicious circumstances.
A team of crack detectives led by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sarki Umar stopped the vehicle with registration number KMC 283 ZJ, along Abuja-Kano route on Monday January 6, 2025.
The driver, identified as Ali Ibrahim, and his assistant, Alhassan Ibrahim, both residents of Kano State, were all apprehended by the police on the spot.
According to the FCT Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, preliminary investigations revealed that the children, who hailed from different families in Kano, were allegedly being transported under the pretense of receiving training. The children were reportedly being moved to Nasarawa State by a man identified as Idris Usman, a Nasarawa resident, who had travelled to Kano to gather the children.
“This operation is part of our ongoing efforts to combat child trafficking and abuse. The situation raised red flags, as there was no proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of these minors,” Disu stated during a press briefing in Abuja.
“We are fully committed to protecting vulnerable groups, especially children, from exploitation and abuse, in accordance with the Child’s Rights Act 2003,” Disu emphasized. He also urged parents and guardians to stay alert and ensure the safety of their children.
