The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued 15 minors who were allegedly trafficked and sold for N2 million each by a member of a syndicate posing as an official of the National Council of Child Rights Advocate, a civil society organisation.
The NSCDC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this on Friday during a news briefing at the Corps’ headquarters in Abuja.
Afolabi said the suspect allegedly posed as an official of the organisation and deceived parents into handing over their children under the guise of providing them with 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,” he said.
According to him, the operation was carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS), led by Commander Dandaura Appollos.
Afolabi said 15 of the 16 children allegedly trafficked from Kama Madaki and Gudindi Mada communities in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State were rescued from their buyers.
He explained that the rescue operation followed extensive intelligence gathering and tactical operations 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,” Afolabi said.
He said three of the victims were rescued separately in Anambra, Imo and Enugu states, while the remaining 12 were rescued during a coordinated operation along eastern transit routes.
The NSCDC spokesperson added that three suspected buyers—one man and two women—had been arrested in connection with the case.
Afolabi reaffirmed the Corps’ zero-tolerance stance on crime and human trafficking, stressing that all suspects found culpable would face prosecution.
He said the suspects would be prosecuted upon the completion of the Corps’ investigation.
