NSCDC intercepts traffickers, rescues 15 children sold for N2m each

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have freed 15 minors who were supposedly trafficked and sold off for two million naira apiece by an individual posing as an official of the National Council of Child Rights Advocate.

This revelation was made Friday during a press briefing conducted at the NSCDC Headquarters in Abuja by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi.

Afolabi said a member of a suspected trafficking syndicate posed as an official of the organisation and approached the parents of the children.

According to him, the suspect deceived the parents into handing over their children before allegedly trafficking and selling them for N2 million each.

The NSCDC said investigations into the case are ongoing.

“Under the guise of operating an NGO and orphanage programme called the Back to School Project, he lured willing, less privileged parents into releasing their children with promises of free education,” Afolabi said.

The NSCDC spokesperson said that the rescue was, however, executed by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGs SIS) headed by Commander Dandaura Appollos.

Afolabi said that 15 of the 16 trafficked children from Kama Madaki and Gudindi Mada communities, Kokona LGA in Nasarawa, were rescued from their buyers.

“Through advanced field tracking, technical intelligence and multi-state tactical sweeps, operatives of the CG’s SIS tracked down the buyers who were from different locations in the country,” he said.

According to him, three of the victims were rescued in Anambra, Imo and Enugu respectively, while 12 others were rescued in a coordinated operation across the eastern transit routes.

Afolabi further said that three buyers: one male and two females, had been apprehended in connection with the case.

He said that the NSCDC has a zero-tolerance policy against crime and human trafficking.

Afolabi said that upon the corps’ completion of its investigation, all the suspects found culpable would be prosecuted.