Kano State High Court has sentenced six members of a notorious child trafficking syndicate to a combined 120 years in prison for their involvement in abducting and trafficking children under the age of 10.
The convicts — Mercy Paul, Ebere Ogbono, Emmanuel Igwe, Loise Duru, Monica Oracha, and Chinelo Ifedigwe — were found guilty of concealment, abetment, kidnapping, and trafficking of minors. The children were reportedly abducted in Kano and sold in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The syndicate’s leader, Paul Onwe, had earlier been sentenced to 104 years in prison in July 2021 after pleading guilty to 38 counts related to the case. Unlike Onwe, the six co-defendants pleaded not guilty and were subsequently tried.
Presiding Judge Zuwaira Yusuf sentenced Mercy Paul to 55 years, Ebere Ogbono to 41 years, Emmanuel Igwe to 9 years, Loise Duru to 6 years, Monica Oracha to 5 years, and Chinelo Ifedigwe to 9 years, all without the option of fines.
The group was arrested in 2019, bringing an end to a six-year trial that captivated public attention and highlighted the ongoing issue of child trafficking in Nigeria.
