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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said on Sunday that its operatives have arrested the founder of National Council of Child’s Right Advocates of Nigeria (NACRAN) based in Benue State, (name withed), in connection with an alleged “large-scale” case of child trafficking, child sales, and illegal adoption.
NAPTIP, in a statement, noted that its Benue State Command arrested the suspect who is a 60-year old prominent member of the orphanage owners’ umbrella body in Nigeria with accomplices in Nasarawa, Enugu, Lagos, Abuja, and a few other places in Nigeria.
The statement by NAPTIP further indicated that another suspect, a 34-year old female accomplice, two other orphanage operators in the FCT and Nasarawa State where some allegedly trafficked children were recovered was also arrested.
It added: “On 1st May, 2025, a complaint was lodged by a man who reported that his four year old son was given out by his mother inlaw to an NGO without his consent. When he demanded the return of his child, he was told he could only see him after three years. This prompted a petition to NAPTIP, leading to the arrest of several suspects and the uncovering of a wider network involved in trafficking and illegal adoption of children.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects feasted on the vulnerability of the rural communities in Bene State through a voodoo initiative called ‘back to school project’ to recruit children from crisis-ridden communities in Guma LGA, especially in areas affected by farmer/herder conflicts such as Daudu, Yelwata, and Ngban, and trafficked them to Abuja, Nasarawa, Enugu, and Lagos States.
“The suspects organized meetings with villagers and traditional leaders, convincing them that the project would sponsor children’s education. Parents were deceived into signing consent forms or verbally agreeing to release their children with promises that they would see them again after three years.
“Over 300 children were reportedly handed over to the suspects. The children, aged between one and thirteen years, were transported to orphanage homes in Abuja and Nasarawa States where they were allegedly sold to interested couples under the guise of adoption for amounts ranging from N1 million to N3 million, per child.
“Some of the orphanages identified were used as holding centres where children awaited adoption or outright sale. Four orphanage homes located at Kaigini, Kubwa Expressway, Abuja; Masaka Area 1, Mararaba, by Abacha Road; and Mararaba, behind the International Market; have been linked to the syndicate and are currently under investigation.
“One complainant alleged that he paid N2.8 million as an adoption fee and N100,000 consultancy fee to a member of the syndicate. The Agency has rescued 26 children, out of the over 300 suspected to have been trafficked and sold to different persons within Benue, Enugu, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Abuja, while about 274 others are still being traced, as investigations intensify to unravel the full extent of the syndicate’s activities. Sadly, the identities of many rescued children had been changed, complicating tracing efforts.”
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The Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, described the situation as unbelievable and mind-bugling, stressing that the issues of child trafficking and adoption are becoming a national crisis that requires urgent attention from all relevant stakeholders.
She said: “A few weeks ago, based on credible intelligence, I alerted the State Ministries of Women Affairs on the unpatriotic and illegal activities of some orphanage operators across the country.
“It is painful that some unpatriotic elements with recognized entities and status, now use their social class to deceive the already vulnerable people in the crisis-prone communities, traffic their children, most of whom narrowly escape death in the wake of communal or farmer/herder clashes, and sell them to challenged parents in the name of adoption without the valid legal consent of the parents.
“This is unacceptable, and those already arrested in connection with this wicked act shall be made to face the full wrath of the law. Our children are not commodities to be displayed in orphanages and sold at will to the highest bidders. This must stop.”
