Alpha Abubakar Alhassan has told the Weekend Crusading Guide that there is nothing wrong with his act of sending children out for begging and physically assaulting them. He buttressed his submission by indicating that it is done in neighbouring countries like Niger and Mali. He made this statement after the Bimbilla police had conducted a successful raid, rescuing 15 children who were under Alhassan’s custody. Alpha Alhassan, the slave master, admitted that he was warned by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and other villagers not to engage the children in the illegal activities; however, he did not think that their position on the issue was correct. “I took these kids from their parents to school them with Islamic education; I do that every time and also send them out for begging. I used the proceeds from the begging to take care of them and buy them their needed requirements,” Alhassan affirmed. Alhassan could not however explain to the Weekend Crusading Guide where he acquired his wealth of 58 cattle and motorcycles. The people of Bimbilla town however, believe that he acquired it through the exploitation of these children. “We were here (in Bimbilla) when he came to this town. He didn’t have anything on him, not even a single cow. Then he started bringing kids, and sending them out for begging and then hiring them out to people to work in their farms, and to take care of their cattle. Then he is all of a sudden rich” said Musa Abdul Raman, a teacher in Bimbilla. The raid The raid was led by the Commander of the Bimbilla Police, Sup. Aboagye Sarpong, who carefully planned and executed the raid and with the participation of 16 policemen. It occurred on the evening of Wednesday, July 16th at about11 pm. Both Jones Stanley Nyarko of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and Paul K. Kpame were strategically placed to ensure that there was no room for the suspect to escape. The operation team stormed Alhassan’s house, where he was fast asleep in his comfortable bed. Meanwhile, the children aged 4-14 were packed in a small round hut nearby for the night. The children were divided into two groups. The younger children; the initial group to be discovered, were found lying in what appeared to be paper scraps with no clothing to cover them from the cold. The older children; the second group, were separated into two shifts to keep watch over Alhassan’s cattle in a two-hour rotation until dawn. Alpha’s rituals and threats with the Quran Bimbilla, located in the Nanumba District in the Northern Region is predominantly an Islamic community. Most of its inhabitants revere the Koran and the five pillars of Islam. People in the community have complained of threats from Alhassan to the effect that, he will curse them using the words in the Koran, if they dare interfered in his doings. “It works my brother! He can use the words of the Koran to let me go mad, or even kill me. So I won’t waste my time to tell him to stop the children from begging,” Asana Mohammad of Masaaka, a suburb of Bimbilla recounted. Nassau Mohammed, an official of CHRAJ confirms how the supposed powers of Alhassan had cowed people into docility to his abuse of the children. The CHRAJ officer even believes that his colleagues are scared of these religious rituals, because it is seen as a serious threat to their wellbeing. It is also well-known in the village that, Alhassan has the ability to command his cattle into attacking anybody who threatens him, which even extends to the Bimbilla police. On the day of the raid, one of children attempted to command the cattle to attack, but stopped when he realized the police had come to rescue them and not to harm. Mamuna Alhassan, of Jiloo (a suburb of Bimbilla) told this paper that, she had observed Alhassan and his boys command the cattle to go on rampage “I saw it with my own eyes. The cattle have a lot of respect for Alpha and the boys and will do whatever they commanded them to do,” she said. Children’s fate Initially, the children were stunned by the operation, but quickly succumbed to the care and attention they were receiving. As time progressed, the children began smiling as they realized that the police were there to give them a sense of belonging and safety. The following morning, the children were transported with this reporter to the Yendi police, who after asking brief questions referred the case to the Tamale Regional Police. Enslavement Prevention Alliance West Africa provided the initial post-rescue care to the children, Indo-African Child Health Foundation provided a supply of medicine and this reporter and the Bimbilla police provided the children with a badly needed bath. Coalition Against Trafficking in Women International (CATWI) has provided 1500 US dollars to continue the temporary care of these children. Norma Ramos, Executive Director of CATW stated that: “Human trafficking violates all core human rights principles and we should all work for its abolition and reject any efforts to negotiate with this modern-day slavery. We solute the heroic acts of the Bimbilla police for their courage and commitment in arresting this trafficker and rescuing the children.” Meanwhile, while Alhassan was placed behind bars by the Tamale Regional Police, the children were delivered into the hands of the Tamale Social Welfare for proper care. Madam Hawa of the Domestic Violence Support Unit (DVSU) told this reporter that they “give the children the necessary care in order to make their lives more comfortable.” Source: Weekend Crusading Guide/Anas Aremeyaw Anas