NAPTIP Rescues Six Children from Trafficking, Detains Seven Suspects in Niger State

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Niger State Command has successfully rescued six children who were victims of trafficking, including twin infants, marking a significant achievement against human trafficking in the region.

Mr. Emmanuel Awhen, the NAPTIP State Commander, announced the rescue during a ceremony to reunite several victims with their families at the agency’s office in Minna on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

Awhen explained that the distressing incident concerning the twins began when their mother reported that a female staff member from the Social Welfare Department in Bida took the infants merely a day after they were born, claiming that the government would care for them.

Investigations revealed that the twins had been sold via a nurse at the Federal Medical Centre in Bida to individuals in Lagos and Anambra states.

Further efforts led to the recovery of the twins, who were reunited with their biological mother on December 18, 2025, in the presence of Hajiya Hadiza Idris-Kuta, the Niger State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development.

Additionally, Awhen mentioned that ongoing investigations uncovered another related case involving the same suspects, who allegedly misled a beggar in Bida by pretending to be government officials ready to provide assistance for her children’s upbringing and education.

As a result of this deceit, four children were taken: two were kept as domestic helpers, and the other two were sold through the same nurse and her accomplice to individuals in Abia and Anambra states.

Awhen noted that the two children who were kept by the suspects were later returned to their parents during the probe.

In total, seven suspects have been arrested, including a staff member from the Bida Local Government Council’s Social Welfare Department, in connection with these cases.

The NAPTIP commander expressed his gratitude to the Niger State Government, particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, for their support and collaborative efforts in combating human trafficking. He acknowledged the commitment shown by the commissioner and the permanent secretary towards protecting vulnerable children in the state.

Moreover, Awhen recognized the partnership of other security agencies, notably the anti-human trafficking unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, for their assistance during the rescue operation and subsequent investigations.