By Sunny A. David, Awka

The Adamawa State Government has confirmed the arrest of a woman accused of trafficking 14 children from the State to Anambra.

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, represented by his Deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, disclosed this during an official handover ceremony at the Government House, Yola.

He said the rescue operation was carried out through the combined efforts of the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

According to him, intelligence reports in July 2025 revealed a wave of missing children in Adamawa, prompting swift action by security agencies.

The prime suspect, identified as Ngozi Abdulwahab, allegedly lured children between the ages of four and nine with snacks and toys.

She reportedly trafficked them to the South-East and sold them for amounts ranging from N800,000 to N1.7 million each.

Describing the crime as “monstrous and traumatic,” Farauta vowed that all those involved would face justice under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, the Adamawa State Child Protection Law (2008), the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2021, and the Penal Code of the State.

She urged parents to be more vigilant and avoid sending children under 10 years on errands or to school alone, stressing that “children are sacred blessings from God and must be cared for responsibly.”

Governor Fintiri also reaffirmed his administration’s zero tolerance for human trafficking, warning perpetrators to stay away from Adamawa.
“Adamawa is the wrong place for traffickers. We will flush them out, dismantle their networks, and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.

As part of relief measures, each of the 14 affected families received N100,000 cash support, as well as food and household items, to help them recover from the ordeal and restart their lives.