The victims were sold to a human trafficker in the Benin Republic, who then resold them to another buyer in Burkina Faso.
The Katsina State government has hinted of plans to negotiate the
release of 20 of its indigenes, who were kidnapped and sold to Burkina
Faso as slaves, following their abduction by bandits.
The victims, The Guardian reports, were sold to a human trafficker in
the Benin Republic, who then resold them to another buyer in Burkina
Faso.
Burkina Faso is reported to be a “country of origin, transit, and
destination for persons, mostly children, subjected to human
trafficking, specifically forced labour and prostitution”.
A source familiar with the issue explained that the victims were
“kidnapped in Kankara Council Area and sold to a woman in Cotonou, who
in turn sold them to another slave merchant in Burkina Faso".
The newspaper noted that the location of the victims was discovered
following an interface Governor Aminu Bello Masari had with some
repentant bandits in eight council areas of the state.
The council areas are, Jibia, Faskari, Danmusa, Kankara, Safana,
Sabuwa, Dandume, and Batsari, and they share a border with Rugu
forest, a dreaded hideout for bandits.
Like several others in the north-west geopolitical zone, Katsina is
faced with security challenges occasioned by activities of bandits,
kidnappers and cattle rustlers.
The challenge has led to significant loss of lives and property, with
several kidnap-for-ransom cases, which often ended up with some of the
victims never returning home due to relations’ inability to pay
ransoms.
But the state government’s interface with some of the repentant
bandits had seen a significant reduction in cases of banditry,
rustling, and kidnapping in the affected council areas.
Special Adviser to the governor on Drugs, Narcotics and Human
Trafficking, Hamza Borodo, confirmed the incident but declined to give
details, adding that he would soon travel to Burkina Faso to negotiate
the release of the 20 victims.
“Yes, I will be traveling to Burkina Faso this weekend to negotiate
their release, but I won’t give you details until I return,” he said.