Governor Inuwa Yahaya has raised alarm over the disappearance of 48 children from Gombe State, warning that the growing trend of child theft poses a serious threat to families and public safety.
According to the governor, official records show that dozens of minors aged between two and five years have been taken from their homes and trafficked to undisclosed destinations.
He expressed concern over their fate, noting that authorities are yet to determine whether the affected children would be safely reunited with their families.
“From the available records, 48 Gombe State children between the ages of two and five have been stolen from the state to other parts of the world,” Yahaya said.
“Their parents are here within the state; for the children, we don’t know if they would be found or not.”
The governor further disclosed that a recent case involving the abduction of a young boy occurred shortly after the state relaxed restrictions on motorcycle movements.
Although the child was later rescued, Yahaya described the incident as a stark reminder of emerging security risks.
“With the relaxation of the motorcycle ban, a boy was stolen at Orji Estate but thankfully he was rescued,” he added.
Yahaya also criticised individuals who have faulted certain security measures introduced by his administration, stressing that the policies were implemented solely to safeguard lives and property.
He maintained that security remains a shared responsibility and urged residents to cooperate with law enforcement agencies.
“We must take serious measures to tackle these emerging threats and restore peace in the state,” he said.
“Before now, Nigerians were living in peace. What is now missing and what are we supposed to do? We need to evaluate things today and do what we ought to do, no matter how tough.”
The governor also recounted resistance to the ban on metal scrap trading, revealing that some operators sought the intervention of religious leaders to reverse the policy, arguing it was their primary source of livelihood.
However, he insisted the restriction was necessary to curb rising cases of motorcycle theft and other criminal activities.
Yahaya further decried the vandalism of critical public infrastructure, including rail tracks and facilities linked to the ₦26 billion Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park.
He disclosed that electrical installations meant to transmit power from Dadin Kowa Dam to the industrial hub had been tampered with, with some components reportedly stolen.
The governor spoke during the inauguration of the Ramadan palliative distribution exercise held on Friday in Gombe.
He announced that the intervention would support 70,000 beneficiaries across the state, including persons with disabilities, religious organisations, orphanages, political support groups, and other vulnerable residents.
Yahaya directed the Palliative Distribution Committee to ensure transparency and fairness in the exercise.
“The items must be distributed within the next three days, including rice, macaroni, spaghetti, oil, sugar, among other items,” he said.
