The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 60-year-old member of the Orphanage Owners Umbrella body in Nigeria and founder of National Council of Child’s Right Advocates of Nigeria (NACRAN), based in Benue State over his alleged involvement in child trafficking, child sale and illegal adoption.

The agency, through Its Operatives in Markudi Command, also rescued 26 children, out of the over 300 suspected to have been trafficked and sold to different persons within Benue, Enugu, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Abuja.

NAPTIP noted that about 274 others are still being traced, as investigations intensify to unravel the full extent of the syndicate’s activities.

A suspected 34-year-old female accomplice, and two other Orphanage Operators in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and Nasarawa State, where some allegedly trafficked children were recovered were also arrested.

The children between one and thirteen years, were transported to orphanages in Abuja and Nasarawa States, where they were allegedly sold to interested couples under the guise of adoption, for N1 million to N3 million per child.

A statement in Abuja on Sunday by the National Press Officer of NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye, indicated that on 1st May 2025, a complaint was lodged by a man who reported that his four-year-old son was given up by his mother-in-law to an NGO without his consent. When he demanded the return of his child, he was told he could only see him after three years.

According to the statement, a petition to NAPTIP led to the arrest of several suspects and the uncovering of a wider network involved in trafficking and illegal adoption of children.

Details of the operation that led to the arrest of the suspects reads: “Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects feasted on the vulnerability of the rural communities in Benue State through a voodoo initiative called “Back to School Project” to recruit children from crisis-ridden communities in Guma LGA, especially in areas affected by farmer–herder conflicts such as Daudu, Yelwata, and Ngban, and trafficked them to Abuja, Nasarawa, Enugu, and Lagos States.

“The suspects organised meetings with villagers and traditional leaders, convincing them that the project would sponsor children’s education.

“Parents were deceived into signing consent forms or verbally agreeing to release their children, with promises that they would see them again after three years. Over 300 children were reportedly handed over to the suspects.

“Some parents were unaware or did not sign any consent forms.

The children, aged between one and thirteen years, were transported to orphanages in Abuja and Nasarawa States, where they were allegedly sold to interested couples under the guise of adoption, for amounts ranging from N1 million to N3 million per child”.

The agency noted that some orphanages identified were used as holding centres where children awaited adoption or sale.

According to NAPTIP, four orphanages located at Kagini, Kubwa Expressway, Abuja; Masaka Area 1, Mararaba, by Abacha Road; and Mararaba, behind the International Market, have been linked to the syndicate and are currently under investigation.

The statement further revealed that one complainant alleged that he paid N2.8 million as an adoption fee and N100,000 consultancy fee to a member of the syndicate.

It added that the identities of many rescued children had been changed, which has made tracing efforts difficult.

Speaking on the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello said child trafficking and adoption are becoming a national crisis that requires urgent attention from all relevant stakeholders.

She said, “A few weeks ago, based on credible intelligence, I expressed concern and alerted the State Ministries of Women Affairs on the unpatriotic and illegal activities of some Orphanage operators across the country.

“It is painful that some unpatriotic elements with recognized entities and status, now use their social class to deceive the already vulnerable people in the crisis-prone communities, traffic their children, most of whom narrowly escape death in the wake of communal or farmer–herder clashes, and sell them to challenged parents in the name of adoption without the valid legal consent of the parents.

“This is unacceptable, and those already arrested in connection with this wicked act shall be made to face the full wrath of the law.

“Our children are not commodities to be displayed in orphanages and sold at will to the highest bidders. This must stop”. (The Nation)