Taraba Police Apprehend Suspected Female Traffickers Over Three Children's Abduction

Authorities in Taraba State have apprehended two women accused of attempting to traffic three young girls after allegedly abducting them. The suspects, reportedly from a South-Eastern state, were taken into custody at a filling station while en route to Adamawa State in a commercial vehicle with the children.

The alarm was raised by the vehicle's driver, who grew suspicious because the three girls — identified as Ummul Shuaibu, Ummul Baba Gasal, and Amina Abubakar, all aged between five and six — did not appear to be related to the two women. The driver promptly alerted members of his union, who then contacted the police, leading to the women's arrest.

Investigations revealed that the two single women had rented a room in the same compound as the girls' families approximately two weeks prior. The alleged abduction occurred on Thursday morning when the women reportedly tricked the girls' mothers, asking for permission to take the children to the market. Instead, they took the girls to a motor park in Jalingo, where they chartered a vehicle for the journey to Adamawa.

At the police station, the suspects reportedly confessed to deceiving the mothers and taking the girls from the compound where they had been tenants. Abubakar Kwalli, father to one of the abducted girls, recounted to Daily Trust how he and the other fathers were summoned to the Taraba State Police Command headquarters. He stated, “We were surprised to see our children at the police headquarters. We were asked to identify them, which we did, but we were directed to bring our wives to further identify the children before they would be released to us.” Kwalli added that upon seeing their mothers, the girls tearfully rushed to them.

ASP Victor Mshelizah, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Taraba State Command, confirmed the incident and the arrest of the two women. He noted that a comprehensive investigation is currently underway, and further details will be disclosed once the probe is concluded.