Police Arrest Suspected Human Trafficker in Adamawa

Hanny Henry

The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old man, Hamza Hammantukur Isa, for allegedly trafficking young girls from the state to Lagos and onward to Ghana for sexual exploitation.

Isa, a resident of Bauchi Street in Yola North Local Government Area, was apprehended following a tip-off from parents of two girls reportedly being moved out of the state. The victims were intercepted en route to Lagos.

In an exclusive interview with our reporter in Yola on Tuesday, police authorities confirmed that the suspect had confessed to working as a transporter within a wider human-trafficking network for several years. According to investigators, Isa claimed to have collaborated with two women identified as Happy and Elizabeth, who were allegedly responsible for recruiting and supplying the girls.

Police accounts indicate that Isa admitted his primary role was to convey victims from Yola to Lagos, where they would be handed over to another agent for onward movement to Ghana.

“Happy once introduced me to the woman who collects the girls in Lagos and takes them to Ghana, but I don’t have direct contact with her,” he reportedly told investigators.

Isa further disclosed that he earned ₦50,000 for each girl he transported, with the victims ranging in age from 14 to 30. He told police he had stopped the activity after losing his job and vehicles but returned to trafficking “out of frustration.” Isa, a father of three, reportedly expressed remorse, saying he would not wish such exploitation on his own daughter.

Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, confirmed the arrest and said the suspect had provided substantial information about the trafficking ring. Nguroje added that Isa could no longer recall how many girls he had trafficked in total.

The rescued victims, aged 14 to 21, were confirmed to be minors being transported out of Nigeria for exploitation.

Nguroje urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and protect their children—particularly young girls—from falling prey to traffickers. He also appealed to the public to promptly report suspicious movements, stressing that quick action is vital in curbing human-trafficking.