The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), has dismantled a notorious human trafficking syndicate specialized in the abduction and sale of children across Nigeria.
The gang’s leader, Hasana Jacob, a 33-year-old truck driver with a well-known cement company in Obajana, near Lokoja, Kogi State, was arrested alongside six accomplices Aisha Suleiman, Murtala Tanimu, Shamsu Tanimu, Adamu Jacob, Abubakar Ahmed, and Ali Muhammed in Abuja while attempting to sell a three-year-old girl stolen from Damaturu, Yobe State.
Investigations revealed that Hasana Jacob used her position as a truck driver to smuggle abducted children across different locations in Nigeria, evading security checks. The syndicate reportedly sold each child for ₦600,000, with members assigned specific roles, including identifying and luring victims, transporting them, and securing buyers before their arrival.
The Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, condemned the syndicate’s actions, described the crime as “unimaginable wickedness against humanity.” She expressed gratitude to the DSS for their cooperation and called for increased collaboration among law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking.
“It is painful to see criminals using a company-branded vehicle to move stolen children across the country for sale. This act inflicts lasting sorrow on families while the perpetrators profit from their crimes. It is even more disheartening that a woman, who understands the pain of motherhood, is leading this syndicate,” she stated.
NAPTIP has impounded the 22-tyre cement truck used in trafficking, while further investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the network.
The agency urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to human trafficking.
