The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, Makurdi Zonal Command, has dismantled a child trafficking syndicate, rescuing five victims and apprehending eight suspects.
The Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Makurdi Zonal Command, Bai Gloria Iveren stated today that the operation followed a distress call from a mother seeking her twins, only to discover they were allegedly sold in December 2023.
She said NAPTIP operatives conducted meticulous surveillance and rescue operations across the Makurdi metropolis during which the investigation unveiled a modus operandi wherein the syndicate targeted vulnerable homes, including IDP camps, posing as helpers for education sponsorship.
She explained that the suspects exploited the trust of unsuspecting families, then acquired children and subsequently sold them for sums ranging between N900,000 and N350,000 per child while disguising the transactions as adoptions.
She added that all rescued victims had been reunited with their families, and legal proceedings against the suspects were underway.
She further urged the public to exercise caution when approached by individuals offering assistance with child education, emphasizing the prevalence of buying and selling of children under the guise of adoption.
The NAPTIP Zonal commander advised those seeking to adopt a child to contact the state Ministry of Women Affairs for proper guidance and should stop transacting with criminal elements
