Ripples over 72 missing trafficked children from Taraba custody

The Taraba Government is involved in a face-off with parents of some trafficked children who insist their children be released to them after remaining in government custody for three years.

Some of the children were forcefully taken away from the Government Welfare Centre at the Taraba Motel Jalingo in the week, a situation which forced the government and security agencies to swing into action.

Investigations reveal that the parents are aggrieved by the attitude of government officials towards their wards.

They expressed frustration over the inability of their children to attend school and the antics of government towards the situation.

“They called us to pick the children. We came but they were reluctant to give us the kids. This is three years they are in government custody. They don’t attend school. It must disturb us.

“We came to pick our children but they were frustrating us. We waited till 3pm and then asked our children to come out. They invited the police and we were taken to the police station. They then asked us to wait so that the governor would order for our release. We waited and they couldn’t show up. Right now my child is not with me.

“The children have been with them for three years. We have been heeding to their directives to come pick our children all at our expense. The government has never compensated us,” Blessing Emmanuel, an aggrieved parent said

According to Emmanuel, the trafficking suspect, one Madam Mary, tricked them she was taking the children to school only to be intercepted by the authorities on the journey.

She revealed that the suspect was released while the children have been kept in custody.

“They released Madam Mary. Government didn’t release our children and are frustrating us. Where do we take our cry to? They should give us our children!

“It was Madam Mary that deceived us that she would take our children to school. She left with our children and then called us on phone so we can know where our children were. I went and picked two children at my expense.

“When she was arrested with the children in Bali and brought to Jalingo, she called us and gave me my child. I took him to Baissa. The rest were taken from Baissa and brought to Jalingo. I don’t know where she lives; all I know is that an agent of hers convinced us that the children would be taken to school,” she added.

It was also learnt that government is highly embarrassed by the situation, especially the media attention it has attracted.

Efforts to speak to the Commissioner of Woman Affairs were not successful.

She was said not to be on seat on Tuesday morning while the Permanent Secretary was said to have taken ill and could not respond to journalists seeking clarification.

Taraba Police Commissioner Abimbola Shokoy confirmed the disappearance of 72 children.

While responding to questions from journalists in his office, Shokoya said 51 of the kids have been rescued while some of the perpetrators of the act have been arrested.

“There was information which was quite disheartening that part of Taraba Motel which was used as a welfare centre for Taraba state and where we had children which were being trafficked and eventually rescued, was somehow hijacked, the children released or forcefully whisked away by their parents.

“Eventually we swung into action, we were able to rescue 51 out of the 72 children that escaped or were forcefully whisked away. With the cooperation, synergy of our sister agencies, we have been able to rescue 51 out of the 72 children alleged to have been whisked away by their relations or parents,” Shokoya said.

On the situation of the trafficking suspect, Shokoya denied knowledge of the matter. “I would say that I have not been intimated about what happened or how the children got to the welfare centre because this is an inherited matter. Unless I go to the archives or I check the files, which is how I can know the position of Madam Mary… We don’t know much and we do not like to go into a case we did not investigate,” he disclosed.

On the plight of the children who were allegedly not attending school, Shokoya said he was not in a position to confirm but said some youth corps members have been meeting their educational needs while the police have been providing security to the children.

“There has been some form of attention from the government. I can say this one because in the course of staying there, we have been providing security but in terms of the release of the children, that one is in the hands of government. Our job is restricted to security,” he stated.

He said 13 of those who perpetrated the act have so far been arrested and investigation was on to ascertain if they were the parents of the children or not.  (The Nation)