A Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu, Yobe State has sentenced 57-year-old Alhaji Ya’u Shuaibu Salihu to four years imprisonment for human trafficking.
The suspect, a native of Farantama village, Albasu Local Government Area of Kano State, was arraigned by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons on a two-count charge of procuring nine underaged victims with the intention of taking them to Sudan for possible exploitation, an act contrary to Section 26 (2) of the Trafficking in Person (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.
The suspect, farmer and trader, was nabbed by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Yobe State Command, Damaturu in 2017 while trying to cross the Geidam/Niger border with the victims, and transferred to NAPTIP for proper investigation and prosecution.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Hamma Isa Dashi, having listened to both counsels and their witnesses, found the suspect guilty and sentenced him to two years imprisonment on each count, making it a total of four years imprisonment without the option of fine.