Tears of both joy and sorrow filled Yola on Wednesday as 14 children abducted and trafficked from Adamawa to Anambra State were reunited with their parents.
At the event, Adamawa Deputy Governor, Prof. Kaletapwa George Farauta, described child trafficking as “a monster ravaging the nation” and warned that the crime had now touched Adamawa State.
“These children were turned into commodities. Some were sold between N800,000 and N1.7 million each. This crime is traumatic for the victims, their families, and our state,” she said.
Security officials arrested the suspected trafficker, Ngozi Abdulwahab, who ran a small shop in Yola North. She allegedly lured children with snacks before selling them in the Southeast.
Parents shared painful stories of their loss. Husseini Shehu, father of nine year old Fatima, said, “For two months, I thought my daughter was dead. When I saw her today, I cried like a child.”
Another parent, Aisha Isa, whose only son was kidnapped, whispered, “I begged God every day to return him. Today, I know God is alive.”
Neighbours expressed shock, saying they never suspected the trafficker. “She pretended to be a harmless trader, but she was selling our children like goats,” said Mohammed Abubakar, father of Umar Farouk.
Farauta said the suspects will face trial under Nigeria’s trafficking and child protection laws. She added that Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri had vowed to dismantle trafficking networks in the state.
To support the families, the government gave each of them N100,000 and food items, with further welfare monitoring promised.
The News Chronicle learned that Child trafficking remains one of Nigeria’s major challenges. In recent years, police have uncovered “baby factories” and intercepted buses carrying children for forced labour.
UNICEF estimates that thousands of children are trafficked annually, driven by poverty, weak law enforcement, and lack of vigilance.
Civil society groups urged parents and communities to be more alert. “These criminals live among us. Parents must be watchful,” said an activist from the Adamawa Child Protection Network.
Deputy Governor Farauta echoed this, reminding parents, “Children are blessings from God. We all share the duty to protect them.”
Though relief filled the reunion, the families admitted fear that other children may still be missing.
For now, they are celebrating their return even as the threat of trafficking continues to cast a shadow over Nigeria.
