The emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, has strongly denounced the alarming rise in the kidnapping and trafficking of children from the northern region of the country.
This comes in the wake of the recent dismantling of a human trafficking syndicate by the Kano State Police Command on December 27, where nine suspects were apprehended, and seven children, predominantly from Bauchi state, were rescued.
Speaking to journalists on Saturday, the emir, represented by Ahmad Umar, Dan Malikin Kano, expressed deep concern over the distressing trend and emphasized that the emirate would no longer tolerate the trading of children within the state.
“This ugly trend must stop. We have to rise up against it. We will no longer condone a situation whereby our children are kidnapped, sold, and their tribe and religion are changed,” stated the emir.
He highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to curb the issue. “This illicit act must stop. We have to rise up to check the situation as it is going out of hand. The situation cannot stop itself. It is we that will make it stop. It happened a few years ago, and now it has happened again. Only God knows how many of our children have been kidnapped and sold,” he added.
Expressing his dismay, the emir called for stringent punishment for the perpetrators, asserting that such actions must be met with severe consequences to deter others. He stressed the historical hospitality of Kano, stating, “Kano, for hundreds of years, has been welcoming visitors and taken them as its sons. Recently, we have seen a disturbing and unfortunate incident of rescuing children trafficked to Lagos through Kano.”
