In the House of Commons, before the recess, Mr. AMMON asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to a passage in the annual report on Nigeria for 1934, in which it is stated that the practice of childstealing and slave-dealing in children is prevalent in certain provinces of Southern Nigeria; and what steps are being taken to combat this practice?
Mr. THOMAS: Yes. sir. The police were engaged during 1934 on the investigation of child-stealing and slave-raiding in the South-Eastern provinces, and a number of cases were brought before the courts.
At the end of the year the investigations were being continued, but the results have not yet been reported.
I may mention that in 1932 the government of Nigeria decided to increase the maximum penalty for child-stealing and slave-raiding from seven to fourteen years.