The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued eight children suspected to have been abducted from Kano and other northern states and trafficked to the South–South and South–East by a notorious inter-state child trafficking syndicate.
The children were discovered during a joint operation in Asaba, Delta State, at a popular privately owned orphanage reportedly managed by a top executive of the Association of Orphanage Operators in Nigeria.
The operation, which was intelligence-driven, was carried out in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), Anambra State Command; the Nigeria Police, Delta State Command; the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs; civil society groups in Kano; and a coalition of distressed parents.
NAPTIP investigations revealed that the syndicate often disguised as traders, luring children aged 2–10 either from schools, communities, or public places such as parks and motor terminals. Over the years, dozens of children have been reported missing across Kano and neighbouring states, prompting repeated public outcries.
In December 2022, a non-governmental organization, Protection Against The Abduction Missing of Our Children (PATAMOOC), petitioned NAPTIP on behalf of more than 200 parents seeking justice and assistance in rescuing their missing children.
Following months of surveillance, NAPTIP operatives first attempted a rescue in Awka, Anambra State, but the traffickers moved the children before the raid. However, in Asaba, eight suspected abducted children were identified and rescued from over 70 minors discovered in the orphanage, including about 15 newborns.
Confirming the operation, NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, condemned the rising trend of child trafficking under the guise of orphanage operations.
“Imagine over 70 children inside one orphanage, with the number increasing daily. The big question is where are these children from?” she queried.
She noted that while the rescued children have since been reunited with their families in Kano, the orphanage owner has evaded interrogation and instead resorted to spreading “falsehood and religious propaganda” on social media.
Bello urged state Ministries of Women Affairs nationwide to step up monitoring of orphanages and care homes, warning that many have become havens for stolen children.
“NAPTIP is seriously worried over the unwholesome activities of these so–called orphanages and care homes. We shall continue to carry out oversight in line with the Trafficking in Persons (Control of Activities of Organizations and Centres) Regulations 2019,” she stated.
She commended the DSS, Police, and other partners for their collaboration, stressed that the operation reaffirmed NAPTIP’s commitment to protecting vulnerable children, dismantling trafficking networks, and ensuring justice.
