The Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has uncovered an alleged network involved in the illegal adoption and trafficking of children obtained from vulnerable pregnant women.
The development followed a report alleging that some children were unlawfully taken and adopted by a staff member of the Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, identified as Maryam Dauda, prompting a joint investigation by relevant authorities.
According to preliminary findings, the children were allegedly sourced from young women with unwanted pregnancies and moved out of Kano State without due legal procedures or official authorisation.
Authorities suspect that the children were later transferred to other parts of the country for adoption.
The case was escalated to NAPTIP, which immediately alerted the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs.
This led to swift intervention and the launch of a coordinated investigation involving both agencies.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and Persons with Special Needs, Amina Abdullahi Sani, said the ministry acted promptly after receiving reports of the alleged illegal adoption of two children from a young woman in the Kwana Hudu area of Kano.
She led a delegation of senior officials to NAPTIP’s office to ensure the matter was handled in accordance with legal procedures and in the best interest of the affected children.
The two children involved have since been handed over to NAPTIP, where preliminary investigations are ongoing with other relevant stakeholders.
Authorities further alleged that some individuals are exploiting vulnerable women facing unwanted pregnancies by unlawfully collecting newborns and moving them across state lines for illegal adoption and possible trafficking activities.
The commissioner condemned the alleged practice, describing it as criminal, inhumane, and a violation of child protection laws, cultural identity, and due process.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the Kano State Government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to protecting children and vulnerable persons, stressing that the state will not tolerate any form of child trafficking or exploitation.
Amina Sani also urged members of the public to report suspicious activities related to child trafficking, abuse, or illegal adoption, assuring that investigations are ongoing and anyone found culpable will face prosecution.
