Intercepted 59 Minors: Kano Senator Stops Trafficking Probe

The interception of 59 minors from Kano en route to Nasarawa State has taken a new dimension as the senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Sumaila Kawu, has stopped the trafficking probe.

Kawu asked the police to hand over the 59 minors intercepted in a J5 vehicle in Abuja on its way to Nasarawa State, promising to reunite them with their parents.

The lawmaker showed up at the FCT police command yesterday to say that the movement was an almajiri form whereby students migrate to other parts of the country to study.

Earlier on Tuesday, the FCT commissioner of police, CP Olatunji Disu,had paraded the vehicle driver, Idris Usman, and the children, promising to ensure they were returned to their base in Kano to reunite with their families.

Disu had said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

“The suspects’ vehicle and all the children are with us while a thorough investigation is underway.”

After the briefing, Senator Kawu, who kicked against the mode of transportation of the children, told the police to hand over the children to him.

Kawu observed that there was nothing wrong with transporting the children to Nasarawa for training, a position that introduced a surprising dimension to the case at the police command.

When asked about the condition of the children’s transportation, Kawu said, “We will resolve it. We have secured another bus that will carry them back home. I am advising our people to stick to the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and the Qur’an in searching for knowledge. We have a procedure, a process provided by Islam. We must stick to that process. We must avoid traditional ways of doing things.”

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force had intercepted a white Peugeot 15 bus with Reg. No. KMC 283 ZJ along the Abuja-Kano route with 59 children suspected to have been trafficked from Kano. They were packed into  15-seater bus.

On Wednesday, the police operatives, led by deputy superintendent of police Sarki Umar, intercepted them on January 6, 2025, at about 3:30 p.m., along the Abuja-Kano route, heading to Nasarawa State.

The police said the kids, aged between four and 12, came from different families and were being transported by one Idris Usman to a male resident of Nasarawa State.

The commissioner of police, FCT, CP Olatunji Disu, said some arrests had been made, and the police would ensure that the children were returned and reunited with their families.

He also said the driver, Usman, who claims to be a teacher with over 40 years of experience, travelled to Kano State to convey the children en route to Nasarawa State under the pretext of training them.

The vehicle driver operates with his motor boy, Al Hassan Ibrahim, who is also from Kano State.

The FCT police commissioner said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking, given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

“The suspects, the vehicle, and all the children are in custody while a thorough investigation is underway. The Police Command is working closely with the FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to ensure that the children are safely reunited with their families and to bring all those involved in this act to justice.

“I want to reiterate our commitment to protecting vulnerable groups, particularly children, from exploitation and abuse in line with the Child’s Rights Act 2003. We appeal to parents and guardians to remain vigilant and ensure the safety of their children,” the commissioner had said.

Yesterday’s intervention by the senator seems to have changed the mind of the police towards further investigation and prosecution of the suspects.