Calabar Court Delivers Heavy Blow to Child Traffickers with 24-Year Sentences
CALABAR – A Federal High Court in Calabar has sentenced Mabum Joseph Arisha and Mutashu Victor Mabum, both from Mfom 1 Village in Ogoja Local Council, to 12 years each for child trafficking, following prosecution by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Cross River State Command.
The duo faced 17 charges related to human trafficking after allegedly exploiting eight children, some of whom were their own, while others belonged to neighbours. The children were reportedly handed over to a suspect identified as Ada Eze, who remains at large.
The offences contravened the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. Despite pleading not guilty at their arraignment in October 2024, the court found both defendants guilty on all counts after trial.
Delivering judgment, Justice Licia Ojukwu sentenced Arisha to 12 years in prison and fines totaling N2 million for counts one to eleven. Similarly, Mabum received 12 years and fines totaling N2 million for counts twelve to seventeen. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, effective from the date of judgment.
In a related ruling, the court placed one rescued victim, identified as Favour Arisha, under the custody of the Cross River State Government through the Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development. She will remain in government care until she can be handed over to a responsible family member committed to her proper welfare.
NAPTIP described the judgment as a significant milestone in the fight against human trafficking and a critical step toward safeguarding vulnerable children in Cross River State and beyond. The case highlights the ongoing need for legal enforcement and community vigilance to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
