The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested a 58-year-old woman, Besirat Tijjani, who hailed from Oyo State, and her alleged accomplice, 45-year-old Habibu Idris, from Jigawa State, over the allegation of trafficking three underage girls.
Deputy Commander-General of the Hisbah Board, Dr Mujahideen Aminudeen, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Wednesday, saying the suspects were apprehended following a public dispute over payment for the girls.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that Idris had been trafficking young girls from Jigawa State for N10,000 each.
However, he demanded N15,000 per girl for the current transaction, which Besirat reportedly refused to pay, thereby triggering a heated argument that drew public attention.
Mujahid said the altercation occurred at the Fagge Motor Park in Kano, where concerned individuals alerted Hisbah operatives who swiftly intervened and rescued the victims.
The rescued girls were identified as 14-year-old Rashida Hussaini, Kuburiyya, also 14 years old and 17-year-old Rukayya Umar, all from Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State.
He added that both suspects have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
While condemning the act, the Hisbah boss urged parents and guardians to desist from sending their children away in search of better opportunities, warning that such decisions often expose them to exploitation and human trafficking networks.
