The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has uncovered a large-scale child trafficking network operating out of Benue State, allegedly masterminded by a 60-year-old founder of a civil society organization and prominent member of an orphanage association in Nigeria.
In a coordinated operation led by the NAPTIP Makurdi Command, the Agency rescued 26 children suspected to have been trafficked and sold across several states, including Benue, Enugu, Lagos, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Investigations reveal that over 300 children may have been affected, with efforts ongoing to trace the remaining victims.
The operation also led to the arrest of the principal suspect, the orphanage operator (name withheld), along with three accomplices including a 34-year-old woman and two other orphanage operators in Abuja and Nasarawa where several of the trafficked children were recovered.
According to NAPTIP, the suspects allegedly sold the children to unsuspecting couples and individuals under the guise of adoption, with prices ranging between ₦1 million and ₦3 million per child.
Preliminary findings indicate that the suspects exploited the vulnerability of internally displaced families in crisis-affected parts of Benue, particularly in Guma Local Government Area, through a deceptive initiative known as the “Back to School Project.” The scheme reportedly lured parents into releasing their children under false promises of educational sponsorship.
Some parents were allegedly tricked into signing consent forms, while others were unaware that their children had been permanently taken away. The victims, aged between one and thirteen years, were transported to different orphanages, where many had their identities changed to conceal the illegal adoptions.
A complainant told investigators that he paid ₦2.8 million as adoption fees and an additional ₦100,000 consultancy charge to one of the syndicate members before realizing the operation was fraudulent.
The ongoing investigation has linked four orphanage homes located in Kaigini, Kubwa Expressway (Abuja); Masaka Area 1, Mararaba by Abaca Road; and behind the International Market, Mararaba, to the trafficking ring. These facilities are currently under surveillance and forensic review.
Speaking on the development, NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello described the case as “unbelievable, mind-boggling, and deeply disturbing,” condemning the exploitation of vulnerable families under the pretense of humanitarian aid.
“It is painful that some unpatriotic elements, using the cover of recognized institutions, deceive poor and displaced parents, take their children, and sell them to the highest bidders under the guise of adoption,” Bello said.
“Our children are not commodities to be displayed in orphanages and sold at will. This must stop.”
She reaffirmed NAPTIP’s commitment to ensuring justice for the victims and warned that all individuals and organizations found complicit in such heinous acts would face the full weight of the law.
The DG further called on state Ministries of Women Affairs to intensify oversight on orphanages and care homes to prevent further violations and ensure adherence to child protection laws.
The latest bust follows NAPTIP’s nationwide crackdown on orphanage operators and child welfare centers implicated in illegal adoption and trafficking schemes.