Three Arraigned Over Gombe Children Trafficking

Three people have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court in Gombe over the alleged abduction and selling of 13 children to suspected human traffickers in Anambra State.

The Gombe State Police Command had on September 7 paraded four people accused of running a syndicate, that kidnaps children from the north and sells them in the southern part of the country.
Three of the accused persons, one Hauwa Usman, 28 of Tudun Wada, Gombe; Ali Bala Shaukani, 39 of Jalingo, Taraba state; and Nkechi Nduliye of Mabuchi Nkpor, Idemili North LGA, Anambra State were arraigned before the court on two-count charges.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Habibu Danjuma Juwara told the court that the accused persons had between 2018 and 2019 conspired with one Chioma, still at large, went to the houses of Mohammed Abdullahi and 13 others in Gombe metropolis, and abducted 13 male and female children, all within the age bracket of five and two years.

He said after the accused persons snatched the children from their respective parents, they took them to an unknown destination in Anambra State where they sold them to human traffickers.

Inspector Juwara told the court that the offence allegedly committed by the trio of Hauwa, Shaukani and Nduliye contradicted Sections 96 and 274 of the Penal Code Law.
However, all the accused persons denied the charges as contained in the police FIR.

After their not guilty plea before the court, the prosecutor asked for an adjournment of the case to enable police to conclude the ongoing investigation.

Chief Magistrate Japhet Maida adjourned the case to September 29 for further mention and ordered the accused persons to be remanded in police custody.