The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued 15 minors allegedly trafficked from communities in Nasarawa State after a man accused of posing as an official of a child-rights organisation reportedly lured their parents with promises of free education.
The NSCDC said the children were allegedly trafficked for N2 million each, with the operation involving 16 minors from Kama Madaki and Gudindi Mada communities in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the corps’ spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi, during a press briefing at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja. He said the rescued children had been traced to different parts of the country through an intelligence-led operation carried out by the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad, known as the CG’s SIS.
According to Afolabi, the suspect allegedly exploited the circumstances of less privileged families by presenting himself as an official of the National Council of Child Rights Advocates. He reportedly used that identity to persuade parents to release their children under the belief that they would benefit from an education programme.
Children Allegedly Taken Under ‘Back to School Project’
The NSCDC spokesperson said the suspect allegedly operated under the guise of running an NGO and orphanage initiative known as the “Back to School Project”.
The programme was reportedly presented to parents as an opportunity through which their children could receive free education. Afolabi said the promise was used to convince willing but less privileged parents to hand over their children.
“Under the guise of operating an NGO and orphanage programme called the Back to School Project, he lured willing, less privileged parents into releasing their children with promises of free education,” Afolabi said.
The circumstances surrounding the children’s movement subsequently triggered an investigation that led NSCDC operatives to trace them to individuals who had allegedly taken possession of the minors.
Of the 16 children reportedly trafficked from the two Nasarawa communities, 15 have so far been rescued from their alleged buyers. The NSCDC did not disclose the whereabouts of the remaining child in the supplied account.
Intelligence Operation Leads to Rescues Across States
The rescue operation was conducted by the CG’s SIS, which is led by Dandaura Appollos. According to Afolabi, the team combined intelligence gathering, field tracking and coordinated operations across multiple states to locate the children.
He said the investigation required operatives to track individuals connected to the alleged trafficking operation across different locations rather than limiting the search to Nasarawa State.
“Through advanced field tracking, technical intelligence and multi-state tactical sweeps, operatives of the CG’s SIS tracked down the buyers who were from different locations in the country,” he said.
The operation eventually led to the rescue of victims from several locations. Three of the children were found in Anambra, Imo and Enugu states, with one victim rescued in each of the three states.
The remaining 12 rescued children were located during a coordinated operation conducted along eastern transit routes, according to the NSCDC.
The geographic spread of the rescue operation indicates the extent to which investigators had to follow the trail after the children were allegedly moved away from their communities in Nasarawa.
Three Alleged Buyers Arrested
The NSCDC said the operation also resulted in the arrest of three people allegedly connected to the case.
Those arrested comprise one man and two women, whom the corps identified as buyers in connection with the trafficking allegations.
Their arrests form part of the ongoing investigation into how the minors were allegedly transferred from their communities and subsequently taken to different parts of the country.
The corps has not indicated that the suspects have been convicted, and the investigation remains ongoing. Afolabi said the authorities would establish the circumstances of the case before determining the appropriate legal action against individuals found culpable.
The NSCDC spokesperson said the corps would maintain its focus on uncovering the wider circumstances surrounding the alleged trafficking operation and identifying those responsible.
NSCDC Pledges Action Against Human Trafficking
The corps reiterated its position that human trafficking remains a serious criminal offence and said it maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards crime and trafficking in persons.
Afolabi said the NSCDC would continue to pursue cases involving the exploitation and trafficking of vulnerable people, particularly where individuals allegedly use deceptive schemes to gain the confidence of families.
He added that suspects found culpable would be prosecuted after the completion of the investigation.
The investigation is expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged recruitment and movement of the children, the identities and roles of other individuals who may have participated in the operation, and the circumstances under which the alleged buyers came into possession of the minors.
For the rescued children, the operation has resulted in their recovery after they were allegedly moved from their communities under the promise of access to education. The NSCDC said 15 of the 16 children involved have now been rescued.
The case also highlights the risks associated with individuals presenting themselves as representatives of organisations or programmes offering assistance to vulnerable families. In this instance, the NSCDC said the suspect allegedly used the identity of a child-rights organisation and a purported education and orphanage programme to persuade parents to release their children.
As investigations continue, the corps said those found culpable would face prosecution, while efforts remain focused on establishing the full network allegedly involved in the trafficking of the minors.
NSCDC Rescues 15 Minors Allegedly Trafficked for N2m Each Under Free Education Scheme
