The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued 15 minors allegedly trafficked and sold for N2 million each after their parents were reportedly deceived with promises of free education.
NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this during a news briefing at the Corps’ headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
Afolabi said a member of the trafficking syndicate allegedly posed as an official of a civil society organisation, the National Council of Child Rights Advocate, to gain the trust of parents and take custody of their children.
According to him, the suspect claimed to operate a non-governmental organisation and orphanage programme known as the “Back to School Project,” through which vulnerable parents were allegedly persuaded to release their children on the promise that they would receive free education.
“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.
15 of 16 Trafficked Children Rescued
The NSCDC spokesperson said the rescue operation was carried out by the Commandant-General’s Special Intelligence Squad, headed by Commander Dandaura Appollos.
He explained that 16 children were allegedly trafficked from Kama Madaki and Gudindi Mada communities in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, with 15 of them so far rescued from individuals who allegedly bought them.
Afolabi said the operation involved field tracking, technical intelligence and coordinated searches across several states.
“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.
According to him, three of the children were rescued in separate operations in Anambra, Imo and Enugu states, while 12 others were recovered during coordinated operations along transit routes in the South-East.
Three Suspected Buyers Arrested
Afolabi said three suspected buyers — one man and two women — had been arrested in connection with the trafficking case.
He reiterated the NSCDC’s zero-tolerance stance on human trafficking and other criminal activities, assuring that investigations would continue to identify everyone involved in the alleged syndicate.
The spokesperson added that suspects found culpable at the conclusion of the investigation would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
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