{
  "id": 13455917,
  "title": "Bauchi court jails three for 21 years each over child abduction",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/bauchi-court-jails-three-for-21-years-each-over-child-abduction",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-10T15:53:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/10/bauchi-court-jails-three-for-21-years-each-over-child-abduction/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Bauchi State High Court has sentenced three defendants to 21 years each in prison for the abduction of children allegedly taken from Bauchi and sold elsewhere. Justice Farouq Sarki delivered the judgment after a trial that lasted over two years. Two defendants were found guilty on all 21 counts, while the third was convicted on three counts. The remaining eight defendants were acquitted. The prosecution initiated the trial in March 2024 following the arrest of suspected members of a child abduction syndicate in December 2023. Seven children, aged under 10, went missing between 2016 and 2023 and were later rescued and reunited with their families. The State Solicitor-General, Sabiu Gumba, stated that the sentences were appropriate given the severity of the crimes and the number of children allegedly taken. However, the third defendant's counsel plans to appeal, arguing that the evidence does not support the conviction.",
  "summary": "A Bauchi State High Court has convicted three of 11 defendants tried over the abduction of children allegedly taken from Bauchi and sold in the eastern part of the country. The convicts were each sentenced to 21 years in prison without an option of a fine by Justice Farouq Sarki, who delivered the judgment after […] Bauchi court jails three for 21 years each over child abduction",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}