February 28, 2026 — SUNTV Global Channel Report
The Governor of Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has sounded a major security alarm after confirming that at least 48 young children from Gombe State are currently missing under circumstances suspected to involve organised human trafficking.
Speaking on Friday during the launch of the state’s Ramadan palliative distribution programme in Gombe, the governor described the situation as a serious humanitarian and security crisis requiring urgent action.
According to him, official government records show that the missing children — mostly aged between two and five years — were allegedly taken away from the state, with their whereabouts still unknown.
He noted that investigations indicate the parents of the affected children remain in Gombe, heightening fears that the minors may have been transported to other parts of Nigeria or even across international borders.
“Available information before us shows that 48 children from Gombe State within the age bracket of two to five years have been taken away to unknown destinations,” Yahaya said, as reported by Daily Trust.
“Their parents remain here, but we cannot say where the children are or whether they will be found.”
Although the governor did not disclose when the disappearances began or the exact communities affected, he warned that emerging patterns strongly suggest coordinated criminal activity.
He also referenced a recent child abduction incident in the Orji Estate area, linking it to security gaps following the partial relaxation of the state’s motorcycle restriction policy. While that particular victim was later rescued, Yahaya said the case exposed growing vulnerabilities facing children.
Describing security as a collective responsibility, the governor urged residents, traditional leaders, and community groups to remain vigilant and support law enforcement agencies with credible intelligence.
“We must collectively confront these emerging threats if we want peace restored,” he said. “There was a time Nigerians lived more peacefully. We must ask ourselves what has changed and take decisive steps, no matter how difficult.”
The revelation has triggered widespread concern among residents and civil society organisations, with renewed calls for stronger child-protection systems, improved surveillance, and tougher nationwide anti-trafficking enforcement.
