Perpetrators must face full wrath of the law, says Eze Ndigbo

By Bashir Bello, Kano

The Kano Emirate Council issued a warning on Saturday that the trend of abduction and child trafficking in the state must stop.

Recall that recently, seven children kidnapped from Bauchi State en route to the southern part of the country were rescued by the Kano State Police Command, and the nine suspects (child traffickers syndicate group) were also arrested.

Speaking in a meeting convened by the Arewa Consultative Forum, Kano State chapter, the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, said the Emirate would no longer condone the abduction and trading of children in the state.

The Emir, represented by Dan Malikin Kano, Ambassador Ahmad Umar, said the issue is going out of hand and that proactive action must be taken to check it.

According to him, “This ugly trend must stop. We have to rise against it. We will no longer condone a situation whereby our children are kidnapped and sold, and their tribe and religion are changed.

“This illicit act must stop. We have to rise to check the situation, as it is getting out of hand. The situation could not stop itself; it is we who will make it stop. It happened a few years ago, and now it has happened again. Only God knows how many of our children are kidnapped now,” he said.

Similarly, Sarkin Shanun Kano, Shehu Muhammad, said the emirate expressed great disappointment over the abduction of minors.

Muhammad described the situation as disturbing and called for an urgent and lasting solution.

“Kano, for hundreds of years, has been welcoming visitors and taking them as its own. Recently, we have seen a disturbing and unfortunate incident involving rescuing children trafficked to Lagos through Kano.

“The Emir expressed serious disappointment in Kano State and northern Nigeria about the incident and wants to see a lasting solution to the problem,” he said.

On his part, the Eze Ndigbo in Kano State, His Highness, Eze Boniface, said perpetrators and child traffickers who were recently arrested in the state must face the full wrath of the law.

The Eze Ndigbo, who was represented by the Traditional Prime Minister of Ndigbo in Kano, Chief Ifeanyi Nwaimo, however, disassociated themselves from the perpetrators.

According to him, “We received with shock and disbelief the kidnapping of seven children from Bauchi State a few days ago, trafficked in other states of the country with the eastern region inclusive. Rescued by the men of the Kano Police Command.

“We condemned this criminal act in its entirety and under whatever guise. We call for the full wrath of the law to be met by the perpetrators of this ungodly act.

“We Igbo’s in Kano, being law-abiding citizens, wish to dissociate ourselves from such criminality. We shall continue to preach to our people against any form of criminal act, in whatever guise.

“We want to thank the Nigerian police and other law enforcement agencies who ensured that the children were rescued and urged them not to relent until all kidnapped people, especially children, are rescued from perpetrators of this kind of act,” Eze Ndigbo, His Highness Eze Boniface, said.

Earlier, the convener of the meeting, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Kano State, Dr Gwani Umar, called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chief Judges of the states to ensure that when perpetrators or culprits were taken to court, justice should be served on them to serve as a deterrent to others.

He also called on legislators to come up with legislation that pencils down a stiffer punishment, like life imprisonment, for anybody who kidnaps and sells a child.

He called on the traditional institutions to address this menace by talking to the ward leaders to ensure that parents keep their eyes on their children, as the kidnapping of children is not only done by Igbo or Yoruba, as Hausa people are kidnapping and selling.

Dr Umar commended the Kano police commissioner, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel while calling on the others in the northern states to emulate their relentless efforts.