Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has reunited 14 abducted children with their families after a rescue operation in Anambra State.
The official handover ceremony was held at Government House, Yola, with the governor represented by his deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta.
The rescue followed intelligence reports in July 2025 on a series of missing children, leading to coordinated efforts by security agencies including the police, Department of State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The suspected trafficker, Ngozi Abdulwahab, a middle-aged woman of Igbo extraction, was arrested. She allegedly trafficked minors aged four to nine years from various communities in Adamawa to the South-East, selling them for amounts ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million per child.
The suspect operated from a small provision shop in Jambutu ward, Yola North Local Government Area, where she lured children with snacks and gifts.
The deputy governor described the crime as “monstrous and traumatic” and pledged that all culprits would face justice.
Authorities have ordered the immediate prosecution of the suspects under several laws, including the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, Adamawa State Child Protection Law (2008), Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021, and the Penal Code of Adamawa State.
Parents were cautioned against negligence and advised not to send children under 10 years unattended on errands or to school.
Governor Fintiri’s message to traffickers is unequivocal: Adamawa State will dismantle trafficking networks and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.
Each of the 14 affected families received N100,000 in cash support along with food and non-food items to aid recovery and small business start-ups.
The deputy governor emphasized the importance of parental vigilance, describing children as “sacred blessings from God,” and urged the public to report suspicious activities promptly to prevent trafficking.
