Bauchi State First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, has expressed concern over the increasing cases of child abduction in the state, calling for urgent and stringent measures by relevant agencies to address the issue and ensure the safety of children across the state.
The visibly distressed wife of the Bauchi State Governor made this statement on Friday while revealing that three children who were recently abducted from Bauchi State and taken to an unknown destination by a strange woman had been found in Anambra State.
The First Lady addressed the parents of the rescued children, police officers, members of the Federation of Women Lawyers Association (FIDA), Bauchi State Chapter, and the Village Head of Gwallameji in her office at the Governor’s Office. She disclosed, “The abducted children are Sabo Salisu, 3 years old; Isah Abdulkadir, 4 years old; and Nana Khadija Zakariya’u, 6 years old.”
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She stated that the children were abducted by a “neighbor” who had gained their trust by offering them incentives in their parents’ compound. While expressing her outrage over the incident, she commended the security agencies for their efforts in rescuing the abducted children.
According to her, “We don’t want Bauchi State to become a hub for missing children. This issue must be addressed immediately. We are going to work hard. I will speak with the Emir of Bauchi, the State House of Assembly, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to find solutions to this problem.”
The Governor’s wife also criticized some parents for neglecting their responsibilities in raising their children properly and advised them to ensure the safety of their wards at all times.
She pledged to provide the police with the necessary resources to facilitate the immediate return of the children from Anambra State to Bauchi so they could be reunited with their parents.
Inspector Nafiu Umar, the Deputy Crime Officer (DCO) of Yelwa Division, stated that the children were kidnapped in Gwallameji but were rescued in Anambra State through the intelligence network of security operatives.
He explained that the woman who abducted the children was a tenant in Gwallameji. She left no traceable information for the authorities, as the only items found in her room were a mat and a bucket. She had also paid her rent in cash.
The Village Head of Gwallameji, Alhaji Hassan Ibrahim, recounted that upon learning of the incident, he instructed the parents to report to the police while also intensifying efforts to locate the children.
Hassan Ibrahim further mentioned that the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) contacted him to request photographs of two of the three rescued children. When the photos were shown to the parents, they confirmed the children as their own. When asked about the third child, the police assured that efforts were underway to bring him back.
In separate accounts, three women—Maryam Habibu, Rashida Hassan, and Saratu Isah—who were tenants in the same house as the abductor, revealed that the woman had stayed there for only five days. They said she lured the children with gifts while they were playing in the compound before abducting them.
The parents expressed their gratitude to God for the safe return of their children and prayed for their full reunion, adding that they were overjoyed upon learning their children had been found in Anambra State.