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…Arrests three suspects
From John Adams, Minna
The Niger State Police Command says it has rescued 11 female children from traffickers across the different locations in the state.
Also the police said a one month old baby was rescued her abductors in Minna, the state capital
The police command in a statement in Minna on Friday by the public relation officer SP Wasiu Abiodun disclosed that four suspects are already in police custody in connection with the crimes.
Giving details of their arrest, Wasiu said on the 9th of July and at about 2.30pm, Police operatives attached to Madalla police division while on patrol along Madalla-Suleja road intercepted one Dauda Ayuba of Senchi village Kaffin-Koro area, Paikoro local government area of the state while conveying six female children in a vehicle ages between 7-13 years suspected to be victims of trafficking.
He pointed out that during interrogation, Dauda confessed that he traveled from Benin, Edo State to Niger State, having agreed with a woman known as IYEE and two others of Ogbu market, presently at large who deal in child trafficking, to source for six female children for them.
The police disclosed that the suspect confessed to have received a mobilization fee of #194,000 as transport and other logistics to get the girls to Benin.
According to the suspected, the children were to be distributed as housemaids, sales girls and other child labour activities for money.
He further told the police that he picked up the children from their parents in Senchi village under the pretext that he was going to enroll them in schools.
“The suspect revealed that he agreed to be paid a sum of thirty thousand naira monthly for each of the victims, of which twenty thousand naira will serve as their monthly salary, while he receives ten thousand naira commission”.
The police further stated that the suspect is in custody in the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) undergoing further investigation, while the parents of the victims have also been contacted.
Similarly, the police said one 37 years old Mary Anthony of Gbaganu area of Minna the state capital was arrested with three female children ages between 8 and 10 years suspected to be victims of trafficking.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested at Gurara area of Minna and during interrogation, she claimed that the girls were given to her by their parents in Gbachiko village, Kagarko area of Kaduna State because she had earlier trained one of the victims’ sister.
However in the course of investigation, it was revealed that she picked up the children after deceiving the parents that she was taking them to an orphanage home in Suleja only to end up with the children in Minna.
She is also currently SCID, helping the police with further investigation.
In a related development, the police said two suspects were also arrested for an attempted abduction of a one month baby in Minna, the state capital.
The police gave the names of the suspects as Chidi Johnson a.k.a Yaron Pastor 24 years of Abdulsalam Quarters and Zainab Ibrahim 22 years old of Alagbado area, all in Minna, the state capital.
But the second suspect, Zainab Ibrahim is said be residing in Sokoto State.
The baby was alleged to have deceitfully taken away from her mother around Mobil round-about in Minna the state capital.
Police pointed out that upon the receipt of the report, detectives immediately commenced investigation and deployed technical intelligence, and this led to the arrest of the first suspect, Chidi Johnson a.k.a Yaron Pastor.
During investigation, Chidi confessed that the second suspect Zainab Ibrahim contracted him to procure a newborn baby following her reported miscarriage.
He further disclosed that in carrying out the task, on 13th July 2026 at about 12pm, he lured a nursing mother and her four-week-old baby to Kasuwan-Gwari area under the pretext that the child would be given some food items and alms (Sadaka) by a benefactor.
The baby and her mother were led into an uncompleted building near Mobil roundabout, offering snacks and soft drinks to gain their confidence, and while pretending to play with the baby, the suspect fled with the baby through the rear exit of the building using a motorcycle to unknown destination.
The two suspects were arrested and are in custody undergoing investigation after which they will be charged to court for prosecution.
The police said the baby has since been reunited with the mother.
