GOMBE, NIGERIA — In a chilling revelation that has sent shockwaves through the North-East, Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya has raised an alarm over the systematic abduction and trafficking of at least 48 children from the state.
Speaking on Friday, February 27, 2026, during the launch of a Ramadan palliatives distribution exercise, the Governor disclosed that these children—most aged between two and five years—have been “stolen” from their homes and allegedly trafficked to unknown destinations across the globe.
A Cross-Border Crisis
The Governor’s disclosure paints a harrowing picture of a predatory trafficking network operating within the state’s borders. While the parents of the 48 victims remain in Gombe, the trail of the children has gone cold.
“For these children, we simply do not know if they will ever be found,” Yahaya admitted, his voice heavy with the gravity of the situation. He linked the spike in abductions to a lapse in local surveillance, noting a recent narrow escape at Orji Estate where a young boy was snatched but fortunately rescued before his captors could vanish.
Infrastructure Under Siege
The vanishing children are part of a broader breakdown of order in Gombe. The Governor revealed that the state’s flagship ₦26 billion Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park is currently being cannibalized by vandals.
- The Theft: Electrical installations designed to draw power from the Dadin Kowa Dam have been stripped and carted away.
- The “Lobby”: Yahaya slammed individuals who have attempted to use religious leaders to lobby for the lifting of the state’s ban on metal scrap dealings, arguing that the trade has become a front for the destruction of public infrastructure.
The National Breakdown
The crisis in Gombe mirrors the “harvest of blood” and lawlessness currently defining the Nigerian landscape:
- The Bandit Army: In neighboring Bauchi, Governor Bala Mohammed is pleading for federal help against 10,000 armed bandits occupying the Alkaleri axis.
- The Selective Justice: In Abuja, the remand of Abubakar Malami and the life sentence of Nnamdi Kanu have fueled claims of a weaponized judiciary.
- The “God is Busy” Arrogance: In the courts, Tracy Ohiri’s collapse during her battle with Minister Dave Umahi has become a symbol of the “regency’s” disconnect from the people.
As the United Nations warns of a $347 million aid shortfall that could leave millions to starve, Governor Yahaya’s plea for a return to communal peace feels increasingly desperate. For the parents of the 48 “stolen” children, the Governor’s palliatives are a small comfort in a state where the most basic security—the safety of a child—has been auctioned off to the highest bidder.
