THE Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has condemned the trend of kidnapping and selling children, mostly northern minors, to southern parts of the country.
The emir expressed his concern yesterday in Kano while addressing newsmen.
Represented by Dan Malikin Kano, Amb Ahmad Umar; the first class traditional ruler said the emirate would no longer condone abduction and trading of children in the state.
He said the issue had gotten out of hand and proactive action must be taken to curb it.
“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 changed.
“This illicit act must stop. We have to rise up to check the situation as it is going out of hand. It happened few years ago and it has happened again. Only God knows how many of our children have been kidnapped and sold,” he said.
The Kano State police command had on December 27, 2023 said it dismantled a human trafficking syndicate that specialised in abduction, buying and selling of minors.
The command added that 9 suspects had been arrested from the syndicate that operated around Kano, Bauchi, Lagos, Delta, Anambra and Imo states.
It also rescued seven children, majority of them from Bauchi State.
In his remarks, the leader of Igbo community in Kano, Boniface Igbekwe, also condemned the act and called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to book.
Represented by the prime minister of the Igbo community, Chief Nwaimo Efanyi, he said the Igbo community had received the news of the kidnapped children rescued by the police with shock and disbelief.
He said the entire Igbo community in Kano had dissociated themselves from the suspects and any kind of heinous acts committed in their name, stressing that they are always committed to live peacefully with one another.
