The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has uncovered a major child trafficking and illegal adoption ring in Benue State, leading to the arrest of a 60-year-old orphanage owner and three other suspects.
The suspects, including two other orphanage operators from Abuja and Nasarawa State, are accused of running a network that trafficked and sold children across several states under the guise of a charity project.
In a statement released at the weekend, NAPTIP officials confirmed that 26 children were rescued during the operation, while more than 274 others remain missing. The victims, aged between one and thirteen years, were allegedly trafficked from rural communities in Benue State to Abuja, Nasarawa, Enugu, and Lagos.
According to sources, the main suspect is a well-known figure in the Orphanage Owners Umbrella Body of Nigeria and the founder of a civil society group, the National Council of Child’s Right Advocates of Nigeria (NACRAN).
He was taken into custody by NAPTIP operatives from the agency’s Makurdi Command after months of investigation into reports of child trafficking, illegal adoption, and sale of children disguised as legitimate humanitarian work.
The case began on May 1, 2025, when a father reported to NAPTIP that his four-year-old son had been taken by his grandmother to a non-governmental organisation (NGO) without his consent. When he tried to retrieve his child, he was reportedly told he would not see the boy for three years.
The complaint prompted NAPTIP to launch a detailed investigation that uncovered a large-scale child trafficking syndicate.
Preliminary findings revealed that the suspects used a deceptive initiative called the “Back to School Project” to lure children from conflict-affected communities in Guma Local Government Area, including Daudu, Yelwata, and Ngban.
Through this project, they allegedly promised free education and care for children displaced by communal and farmer-herder clashes. Many parents, believing the offer to be genuine, willingly released their children, while others had their wards taken without proper consent.
NAPTIP officials said that community meetings were organised to give the scheme a sense of legitimacy, with guardians made to sign misleading consent forms or agree verbally to release their children.
Investigators later discovered that the children were transported to orphanages in Abuja and Nasarawa, where they were sold to couples under the pretense of legal adoption.
The adoption fees reportedly ranged from ₦1 million to ₦3 million per child, with additional “consultancy fees” charged to buyers.
According to investigators, at least four orphanages have been identified as part of the illegal network. These facilities, located along Kaigini, Kubwa Expressway in Abuja; Masaka Area 1, Mararaba (by Abaca Road); and behind the International Market in Mararaba, were allegedly used as temporary holding centres where trafficked children were kept before being sold.
One complainant told NAPTIP that he paid ₦2.8 million for an adoption and was later charged another ₦100,000 as a consultancy fee. Investigators also found that many of the rescued children had their names and identities changed, making it difficult to trace their real families.
Reacting to the arrests, NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello (OON), described the discovery as “unbelievable and heartbreaking.”
“Arising from this case, I wish to say that child trafficking and illegal adoption are fast becoming a national crisis that require urgent attention from all relevant stakeholders,” she said.
Bello condemned the actions of the suspects, saying it was shameful that individuals who claim to be child rights advocates were taking advantage of vulnerable families for profit.
“It is painful that some unpatriotic elements with recognised entities and social status now use their influence to deceive people in crisis-prone communities, traffic their children, and sell them to desperate couples in the name of adoption,” she said.
“Our children are not commodities to be displayed in orphanages and sold to the highest bidders. This must stop,” the NAPTIP boss declared.
The agency said the arrests are part of a nationwide crackdown on orphanage and childcare homes suspected of engaging in trafficking and illegal adoptions.
Earlier this month, Bello had warned that NAPTIP was monitoring reports of corruption and exploitation in some orphanages, calling on state ministries of women affairs to strengthen oversight of such institutions.
She urged parents and guardians to be cautious and to verify the legitimacy of any organisation offering child support or education programmes.
“NAPTIP will not tolerate any form of child exploitation. We are working with the police and other security agencies to track down the remaining 274 missing children and ensure justice for the victims,” she assured.
Meanwhile, investigations continue as officials intensify the search for more victims and potential buyers linked to the syndicate.
