Authorities in Adamawa State, Nigeria, have rescued 13 trafficked children and four kidnap victims as part of extensive police operations aimed at curbing rising insecurity.
Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Falings, announced the developments at a news conference held in Yola on Monday. He said the successes were part of the state police command’s achievements during the second quarter of 2025.
Over 500 individuals were detained in connection with various serious crimes, including homicide, sexual offences, child trafficking, armed robbery, and membership of the Shilla gang, a group notorious for violent robbery.
The rescue of the trafficked children was carried out by a special unit led by ACP Shuaibu Wara, acting on credible intelligence. Two women from Kabiku, Nnewi (Anambra State) were arrested for their alleged roles in the trafficking and sale of the children, who are now in protective custody pending reunification with their families.
CP Falings also highlighted the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker accused of murder following a ₦50,000 dispute related to Indian hemp sales.
A significant crackdown on the Shilla gang has seen seven members detained in connection with a spree of home invasions and street-level criminality.
Among the items recovered during the operations were:
Six AK-47 rifles,
Three pump-action guns,
11 homemade firearms,
Live ammunition,
Three stolen vehicles,
Five tricycles and four motorcycles,
Computers, gas cylinders, mobile phones, charms, and other evidence.
The Police Commissioner extended his appreciation to Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for supporting the operations and praised local communities for providing information vital to the successful interventions.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to maintaining law and order: “Our objective remains the protection of life and property. We encourage the public to continue reporting suspicious activity—community engagement is vital to our success.”
