The Kaduna State government has rescued 13 allegedly kidnapped children and sold them to child traffickers in Kebbi, Cross River, Enugu and Anambra State.
The state’s Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Rabi Salisu, revealed this when speaking with reporters on Saturday, April 12, 2025, saying that the rescued children were trafficked to Enugu State by a group, some of whom have not been arrested.
“When the child was seven, a kidnapped child was stolen, and now the same child is seven. The children cannot identify their location, but the authorities will do everything possible to ensure that all children are reunited with their families.”
“Their names were changed from Hausa to other names. Under the Ministry’s facilities, those brought to Kaduna were under special intervention and emergency support from the government to provide psychosocial counseling and support, nutritious food, health care and rehabilitation.
“In one case after the arrest, with the review of the situation, on March 24, 2025, the ministry received 11 children from the office of the State Police Department Office in Abuja.”
Salisu said five members of the kidnapping gang admitted that the gang leader operated an orphanage in Abuja for evil acts.
“She used the orphanage as a temporary shelter for stolen children and negotiated the sale to potential buyers in the eastern part of the country. This evil act was so shocking that all the children found and brought back were lost to their identity that they did not remember their original home.
“Seven of the children were received from the state chief of the police station on April 9, 2025. The remaining children in Abuja and six others were brought back from Birnin Kebbi, kidnapped and sold to a woman nicknamed Calabar, in Maman Salamatu, were investigated in Kebbi’s case because the case was hidden in the case, plus salisersued).
She called on parents to lose their children and is looking for specific evidence, including birth certificates and other relevant information.
She advises parents to stay alert, absorb a good parenting culture, and raise their children with good moral upbringing to protect them from all forms of abuse, violence and exploitation.
Ali Adamu’s daughter Maryam was kidnapped in Kogi State two months ago and thanked the ministry and all other government agencies for reunion with her daughter.
