Father sells 6 biological children, 22 others in Sokoto

Bala Abubakar, from Tudun-Wada area of Sokoto South Local Government, has been arrested by the Police for giving away six of his biological children and 22 others for abduction.

Mr Ali Kaigama, the Commissioner of Police, Sokoto State, disclosed this while addressing journalists in the state on Thursday.

Kaigama said an investigation revealed that Abubakar received sums ranging from N150,000 to N250,000 per child from Mrs Kulu Dogonyaro and her accomplices.

“This development followed the arrest of Dogonyaro and one Elizabeth Ojah, who were found in possession of four toddlers and a two-week-old infant by the FCT Police Command in Abuja.

“The suspects claimed that the children were willingly given to them by their parents in Sokoto to be handed over to an NGO for their upkeep and schooling in Abuja.

“However, both the suspects and the victims were subsequently transferred back to Sokoto for investigation,” he said.

Kaigama added that the mothers of the five victims, all widows, were deceived into parting with their children under the pretense of having their responsibilities shouldered.

“Furthermore, the investigation extended to several states, resulting in the rescue of 15 additional children.

“A total of 20 rescued victims have been handed over to the Sokoto State Orphanage Home for proper care.

“So far, 10 suspects have been arrested, including Abubakar, who gave Dogonyaro a total of 28 children, including his biological children,” Kaigama stated.

The commissioner also revealed the arrest of Saifullah Hassan for allegedly killing Bilkisu Garba at a hotel in the state.

“On May 24, the manager of Ifeoma Hotel reported that Garba was killed in a hotel room by an unidentified guest.

“However, Hassan, an indigene of Zamfara, was later traced and arrested in Katsina State,” he added.

Additionally, the command rescued three kidnapped victims, including a legal practitioner Mrs. Rukayya Mustapha, who was kidnapped on Sunday.

Kaigama said police operatives, in conjunction with the military and vigilante groups, acted on credible information and carried out a successful rescue operation.

“The team traced footprints toward a forest where the suspected bandits were located and routed, resulting in the subsequent rescue of the victims.

“In the operation, one suspect was neutralized and another fatally injured. 10 rounds of live ammunition, two solar panels, one Tecno mobile phone, and a blanket were recovered at the scene,” he explained.

He appreciated Gov. Ahmed Aliyu of the state for his continued support of the security operations and commended the cooperation and contributions of the residents.

Kaigama assured the public of the command’s commitment to upholding law and order and praised the dedication of the officers and personnel.

NAN