Zainab Abdullahi Giginyu felt a jolt in her chest as she glanced at the image of a recently rescued girl. The face staring back at her looked unmistakably familiar.
The child, located far away in Port Harcourt, shared a strong likeness to her own daughter, who had been abducted in Kano several years earlier.
“I see her eyes, her smile… I truly believe she could be my daughter,” Zainab said softly, fighting back tears.
“I need help from the government to find out if she’s really mine and bring her home.”
Zainab is among many parents in Kano State who continue to be tormented by the unexplained disappearance of their children.
Recently, a mix of renewed hope and emotional pain resurfaced following reports that several trafficked minors many believed to originate from northern Nigeria were found and rescued in cities located in the southern part of the country, including Port Harcourt.
Backing the effort is a coalition of resolute parents and human rights advocates. The Coalition Of Parents For The Abducted Children In Kano State (COPACK), in collaboration with advocacy organizations, has brought their demands directly to government authorities. Their goal remains clear: to be reunited with their missing children.
Comrade Isma’il Ibrahim Muhammad, the leader of the group in Kano, confirmed that images of the rescued children have been secured and are now being shared.
“We need parents whose children were abducted to come forward and look at these images,” he said.
“There is a chance their sons or daughters are among those identified as kidnapped children.”
He further revealed that in a compound in Ozouba, Port Harcourt, more kidnapped children have been identified.
“Authorities in Port Harcourt have shared more pictures, and they are now with the police,” Comrade Isma’il said.
He also revealed that some of the rescued children were located in Anambra, Delta, and Kaduna States, but the process of bringing them home has been hindered by administrative delays.
Fighting back emotion, he said, “We are dealing with major bureaucratic challenges in reuniting these children with their families.”
In a video clip, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mansur Hassan, was seen presenting some of the rescued minors while sharing disturbing details about the grim realities of child trafficking.
“Some of these children are sold for their body parts; others are sold and their identities are completely changed,” DSP Hassan said.
He pointed at one child and said, “This is Isa, but his name has been changed to Michael.”
Then he pointed at another in a green top: “His name was Safiyanu, but they have changed his name to Joshua.”
Hassan further pointed to lack of parental attention as one of the key reasons abductions continue to happen, urging families to adopt greater caution and awareness.
Findings uncovered that the trafficked children were not only transported to distant locations—primarily in the South-East and South-South regions but also underwent severe alterations to their identities.
Their names were changed. Their religions were switched. Many of them were taken at such an early age that they now have no memory of their original homes.
“These children are growing up with no memory of their true roots,” Comrade Isma’il said.
“It’s painful, imagine your child growing up calling another family ‘home’ and forgetting their real parents.”
The rescue efforts have led to the arrest of suspected traffickers and the recovery of several children. But reuniting them with their families remains a complex process.
Still, parents like Zainab hold onto hope.
“I believe she’s mine,” she repeated.
“And even if she doesn’t remember me now, I will wait as long as it takes to bring her back home.”
The Association has publicly commended the Kano State government for its support so far but issued a heartfelt plea to do more.
“We’re thankful,” said Comrade Isma’il.
“But the work is far from done. We need the government to double its efforts. Every child still out there deserves to come home.”
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