The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued at least 26 trafficked children from an orphanage in Benue State linked to a large-scale child trafficking, sale, and illegal adoption syndicate. The operation was confirmed in a statement by NAPTIP Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye.
Among those arrested is a 60-year-old man, founder of the National Council of Child’s Right Advocates of Nigeria (NACRAN) and a prominent member of Nigeria’s orphanage owners umbrella body. A 34-year-old female accomplice and two other orphanage operators in Abuja and Nasarawa were also apprehended.
Over 300 children are suspected victims of trafficking across multiple states including Benue, Enugu, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Abuja. While 26 children were rescued, efforts continue to trace about 274 others. Investigations revealed the syndicate exploited rural communities using a “Back to School Project” to recruit children under false promises of education sponsorship.
Children aged 1 to 13 were handed over to the syndicate, many without parental consent, and sold in orphanages for ₦1million to ₦3million each or awaiting adoption. Some parents paid large fees under coercion. The syndicate’s activities included illegal holdings and sales posing grave risks to children’s welfare.
NAPTIP’s Director-General, Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello, condemned the trafficking network, urging urgent multi-sector action to stop these inhumane practices. She emphasized protecting children’s rights and bringing all perpetrators to justice, saying, “Our children are not commodities to be displayed and sold at will. This must stop.”
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