THESHIELD Garkuwa
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No fewer than ten suspects of abduction including a 45 year old father who allegedly sold his six children and 22 others have been arrested by the Sokoto state Police Command, the state Commissioner of Police, Hayatu Kaigama disclosed on Thursday.
The command also confirmed rescuing 26 children who were abducted in the state and sold elsewhere.
Bala Abubakar a resident of Tudun Wada Area in Sokoto metropolis who sold the children for between N150,000 and N250,000 was also alleged to have sold five minors intercepted in Abuja by the FCT police last month .
Kaigama while addressing the press at the command headquarters in Sokoto explained said children were rescued from different states across the federation.
“The children were collected from their mothers who are widows under the pretext of taking them to an organization for proper upbringing.
“While some of the victims were abducted on their way to Islamiyya schools,” he added.
He said 21 of the children were handed over to the Sokoto orphanage home for proper care and safe keeping.
The state Police Boss said some of the suspects had confessed receiving the children from one Mrs Kulu Dogon Yaro who was in the business of buying them from Abubakar before the arrests.
However, the suspect, Bala denied selling the children when interviewed by reporters.
According to Bala, ” I deliberately handed them over to the female suspects to be taken to where they would get a better living condition with an understanding they would return the children anytime we ask them to do so,” he said
Also, on of the suspects, Mrs Elizabeth said she was not aware that the children were victims of abduction.
“I know Kulu Dogon Yaro in Sokoto. We lived in the same barracks for over 20 years.
“I came back to Sokoto, looking for job and she came to my place and asked me to help her take the five children to Abuja because Bala brought large number of children to her. And I can’t say no to her because we have been friends for 21 years.
“She told me that, the children were orphans and would be taken to an organization in Abuja for proper upkeep,” she said
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