The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) has reunited a child survivor with her parents, Ibrahim and Mariam Musa.
She was discovered with 2 other children who were also trafficked.
According to the Director-General of NAPTIP, Dr Fatima Waziri-Azi, the children were rescued while suspects were arrested with the aid of sister law enforcement agencies, including the police, DSS, women affairs ministry, Anambra and Gombe state governments.
The Director-general also noted that it was through the relentless and tenacious nature of Hauwa’s father, Ibrahim Musa, that the agency was able to trace the whereabouts of the suspects and the children who had ben trafficked and sold in Anambra.
She also noted that as at the time Hauwa was discovered, she had been given an Igbo name “Chidinmna Obiora”.
She added that the victim is now very fluent in Igbo language.
While narrating his ordeal, Mr Ibrahim said Hauwa was abducted by a Gombe social welfare officer named Hauwa Abubakar.
During her arrest, it was discovered that Miss Abubakar was in the trade of trafficking children from Gombe to Anambra with Ali Bala Shekhani, her partner, who posed as her husband.
“Our investigation with the Gombe and Anambra state police led us to a Madam Nkechi who ran an orphanage in Anambra and often bought children from Miss Hauwa and her partner. A female child was bought at N250,000 while a male child was bought at N300,000,” she said.
Mr Ibrahim said he was very grateful for the return of his daughter, saying the last three years had been very traumatic for him and his family.
He applauded NAPTIP for their support and said he was ready to co-operate with NAPTIP to help in the recovery of other children and arrest the main perpetrators.
Following the return of Hauwa, the DG noted that there was a rising trend of children being trafficked from the north and taken to the east.
She said, “75% of victims are trafficked across states, 23% are trafficked within the state and 2% outside the country.
“In most cases, it’s always the familiar faces and people we know that take children and individuals to be trafficked. I’m therefore making a herald call on families and members of the society to be a watchdog and report any suspicious cases of trafficking.”
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