Retrieval of trafficked Children, COFAA dismisses alleged fault play against Pastor Musa, Mr Mbami, seeks Gov Mohammed’s intervention
By Samuel Luka,
Bauchi
A human rights group, Council for Affirmative Action (COFAA) has described as false and defaming, allegations of human trafficking against Pastor Musa Wanda Turaki and its Executive Director Mr Mbami Iliya Sabka.
The organization which made this known in a press release dated 19th March, 2025, stated that it took the effort of the duo to retrieve four persons who were trafficked from Miya community of Bauchi state to Porthacourt state who converted from traditional belief to Christianity.
The press statement while calling on the Bauchi state government to intervene in the matter, decried the false allegations leveled against Mbami Iliya Sabka, in connection with an ongoing child retrieval case involving victims from Miya Village, Ganjuwa Local Government Area (LGA), Bauchi State by their families.
He recalled that COFAA was approached by the parents of the eleven victims, namely, Adamu Kankaya Kore, Chakawa Dansa, Bebi Bawa, Beai Dibeya, Janji Dansa, Jumallu Dangaladima, Kanuwa Shahu, Danjuma Galadima, Solomon Sumatu, and David Nabuk to assist them retrieve their children whose whereabout were unknown on December 9, 2022.
According to Sabka, the parents sought the intervention of COFAA to help in retrieving their children, whom they entrusted to Pastor Joseph George in March 2014 for the purpose of getting them educated and that children would remain within Miya Village.
The press release added that Pastor Joseph George took the victims to Port Harcourt, where they were handed over to Pastor Jessy Oguala, who then transferred them to Pastor Mercy Josiah, the founder of Love and Peace Orphanage Home in Port Harcourt.
It explained that Pastor Mercy Josiah facilitated the adoption of the children by other individuals and that despite persistent efforts by the biological parents, including tracking Pastor Joseph George to Enugu State in 2019 and 2021, the retrieval of the children proved unsuccessful which prompted the parents to seek the help of COFAA in December 9, 2022.
Sabka said, following the complaint lodged at COFAA by the representatives of the parents, Turaki Dansa, Kori Dansa, and Musa Wanda, the human rights organization filed a formal petition with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Port Harcourt Division, Rivers State, on April 26, 2023.
Mr Sabka recalled that the COFAA staff also reacted by swinging to action in collaboration with Pastor Musa Wanda Turaki who accompanied them to Port Harcourt for monitoring and follow-up, with an agreement with the victims’ families that COFAA staff would stay for five days, with transportation, accommodation, and feeding expenses covered by the families.
Sabka who disclosed that due to the complex nature of NAPTIP’s investigation, the team remained in Port Harcourt for thirty (30) days, personally covering all additional expenses, said as a result of the investigation, two suspects were arrested while four out of the 11 children were successfully rescued and that NAPTIP requested the biological parents’ presence for proper authentication and documentation.
The press release said upon the return of COFAA staff to Bauchi our team’s return to Bauchi State, the organization invited the families for a debriefing and to discuss the next steps, but they refused to turn up despite several reminders.
“We later learned that they traveled independently to NAPTIP’s Port Harcourt office without our knowledge. NAPTIP, recognizing that COFAA initiated the petition, advised them to return with an official introduction letter from our organization”, he said.
COFAA said upon meeting brick wall, one representative of the victims’ families later visited their office to inform them that they secretly visited Port Harcourt.
“We provided detailed guidance, advising him to return with the families so that we could escalate the matter to the Bauchi State Government.
Shockingly, instead of collaborating with us, the families proceeded to file a petition against Pastor Musa Wanda Turaki and falsely accused me of involvement in trafficking”, the COFAA decried.
It stated that the petition led to invitation of Mbami Iliya Sabka by the Nigeria Police Force, Bauchi State Command, for interrogation and he responded by filing a counter-petition, demanding a thorough and imprtial investigation.
Mbami further explained that the Bauchi CP instructed some detectives to accompany COFAA team to NAPTIP’s Port Harcourt office for further inquiry, adding that, upon arrival, they submitted a formal request to the State Commander of NAPTIP for the release of the two suspects and the four rescued children to the police command for continued investigation.
He further revealed that as a result of the COFAA’s effort, NAPTIP informed the police that they had sought directives from their headquarters in Abuja.
He regretted that despite the unwavering efforts to ensure transparency and justice, the families persisted with false accusations against the pastor and Mbami Iliya Sabka.
The press release maintained that COFAA remains committed to complementing the tireless efforts of Governor Bala Mohammed Bala Mohammed to upholding justice and protection of vulnerable children and commended the professionalism and dedication of the State Commander, NAPTIP Rivers State Office, and Inspector Yusuf Ezekiel and his team from the Nigeria Police Force, Bauchi State Command.
Mbami who lamented in a short interview with our correspondent that the families of the children frustrated the effort of COFAA to recover the remaining nine victims, pleaded with the Bauchi Governor state to intervene in the matter as well as ensure that the two suspects and the four children rescued be handed over to the state government in line with its petition dated April 26, 2023.
He pledged that COFAA will continue to advocate for justice, human rights, and the protection of vulnerable communities.