A Borno State High Court sitting in Maiduguri has convicted and sentenced a 35-year-old man, Mohammed Makinta, to seven years imprisonment for procuring a person for sexual exploitation.
The presiding judge, Hon. Justice Aisha Ndume, found the defendant guilty of the offence, which contravenes Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
Makinta was also fined ₦1 million in addition to the prison term.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which prosecuted the case, commended the court’s judgment, describing it as another milestone in the fight against human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The agency reiterated its commitment to ensuring that traffickers and perpetrators of sexual exploitation face the full weight of the law.
NAPTIP further urged the public to support the ongoing campaign to end human trafficking and report suspected cases through its hotlines and social media platforms.
Adamawa State Government has vowed to intensify its fight against human trafficking following the rescue and reunion of 14 abducted children with their families.
Deputy Governor, Prof. Kaletapwa George Farauta, gave the assurance on Wednesday during the official handover ceremony in Yola, where the children, aged between four and nine, were reunited with their parents.
“We shall flush them out, dismantle their networks, and ensure they face the full weight of the law. This is not an empty threat; it is a promise,” Farauta said.
She described the development as heartbreaking, noting that Adamawa should never be a destination or conduit for human trafficking.
“In July 2025, we received intelligence about a disturbing rise in missing children cases. As a responsible government, we took immediate action,” she explained.
Working with security agencies, including the Police, DSS and NSCDC, the government traced the missing children to Anambra State and arrested the alleged ringleader, identified as a middle-aged woman, Ngozi Abdulwahab.
The suspect, who reportedly operated from a provision shop in Jambutu Ward, Yola North, was said to have lured children with snacks and gifts before trafficking them to southeastern Nigeria. The children were allegedly sold for between N800,000 and N1.7 million each.
Farauta said the rescued children had undergone medical and psychological rehabilitation before being handed over to their families. She also urged parents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities.
“Our citizens are not commodities. Under no circumstance should anyone be allowed to treat them as such,” she said.
The Deputy Governor commended Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for his swift intervention and support in combating trafficking.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Neido Geoffrey Kofulto, and the Member representing Yola North in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Suleiman Alkali, lauded the governor’s leadership and called for stronger community vigilance.
The Adamawa State Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Hassan Abubakar Naibi, said trafficking was becoming increasingly rampant in the state. He pledged the agency’s commitment to eliminating the menace and urged communities to support the fight.
Parents of the rescued children expressed gratitude to the government for its intervention. Each family received N100,000 to boost their livelihoods, while the children were given food and non-food items to aid their reintegration.
The Taraba State Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has successfully reunited eight trafficked children with their parents after they were deceitfully taken to southeastern Nigeria.
The children, all natives of Minda village in Lau Local Government Area, were reportedly lured away from their community under the false claim that they were orphans. They were subsequently trafficked to various cities, including Aba, Onitsha, and locations within Imo State.
Addressing journalists on Saturday in Jalingo, the Taraba State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Hon. Mary Sinjen, disclosed that the rescue operation was carried out in Gembu, Sardauna Local Government Area, following credible intelligence reports.
“These children were taken from their homes with deceitful promises and sold off to unsuspecting individuals who believed they were adopting orphans,” Sinjen said. “Our investigation, with the support of NAPTIP, led to the rescue and safe return of the children to their families.”
She described the act as inhumane and reiterated the state government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of children and ensuring their protection against all forms of exploitation.
The Taraba State Commandant of NAPTIP, Mr. Emos Gembo, also spoke at the press briefing. He revealed that the suspected trafficker, identified as one Patience, has confessed to the crime, admitting to selling the children for sums ranging from N50,000 to N80,000, depending on their age.
“This is a clear case of child trafficking, and we will ensure that justice is served,” Gembo stated. “The suspect is currently in custody and will be prosecuted accordingly. We urge parents and community members to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities without delay.”
Authorities have assured the public that efforts are ongoing to dismantle trafficking networks and prevent future occurrences.
The Taraba Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has arrested two suspects attempting to traffic 16 children.
The suspects were arrested on Thursday at the Jalingo Main Motor Park with the 16 children heading to Benin in Edo.
The state NSCDC Commandant, Adamu Salihu, told newsmen on Saturday in Jalingo that the suspects gave their names as Daniel Madin and Federation Markus.
Salihu said the victims, aged between 10 and 16, comprising five girls and 11 boys, were taken from Zing and Bali Local Government areas of the state.
The commandant said that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects were part of a bigger syndicate that specialised in trafficking underage children with the promise of a brighter future in Edo.
He however said that such children were often forced into dehumanizing jobs and the proceeds of such jobs confiscated from them by their handlers.
Salihu decried the rate at which parents abdicate the responsibilities of raising their children, opting to hand them over to strangers for a pittance.
“How can one give birth to children and expect others to take responsibility for their feeding, clothing, education, and general well-being?
“Most of the children taken from the state are sold into child labour and prostitution while others are used as materials for baby factories, organ harvesting, and money rituals.
“My concern is that all the victims of this heinous crime are children who are of school age, but forced to leave school by their parents and relatives even now that the Taraba Government has made basic education free and compulsory for all children,” he said.
“This trend must stop immediately”, the commandant added, and called on relevant stakeholders in the state to take adequate measures to end the rising trend of human trafficking.
The suspects and the 16 children were handed over to officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, for further investigation and prosecution.
