The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested two suspects over an alleged attempt to traffic two minors in Kano State.
The suspects, identified as 25-year-old Sadiq Muhammad Abdullahi and 18-year-old Destiny Joseph, were apprehended at Wailari following a report from a family member of one of the children.
The NSCDC Kano State Command disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Abdullahi.
According to the command, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly lured the two children, aged 10 and 12, with promises of money and gifts before planning to move them to another part of the country for financial gain.
The command also said investigators were examining allegations that the minors could have been intended for ritual purposes.
It added that one of the suspects, Sadiq Muhammad, allegedly took photographs of the children as part of an attempt to establish contact with a trafficking syndicate.
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The alleged plan was reportedly exposed after a relative of one of the victims became suspicious and contacted the NSCDC office in Wailari, leading to the arrest of both suspects at their residence.
The NSCDC State Commandant, Mohammed Hassan Agalama, has directed the command’s Gender Unit to conduct a detailed investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether other individuals were involved.
The command said the suspects would be transferred to the Kano Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation and prosecution after the NSCDC concludes its investigation.
Agalama commended the family member who alerted security authorities, noting that prompt reporting and community vigilance were crucial to preventing child trafficking, abduction and other forms of exploitation.
He also urged parents, guardians and members of the public to remain watchful and report suspicious activities involving children to the nearest security agency.