The Niger State Police Command says it has rescued nine children suspected to be victims of human trafficking and arrested two suspects in separate operations carried out across the state. The command presented the interceptions as the result of intelligence-led work aimed at breaking up trafficking networks operating in the area.
According to the command's public relations officer, the first operation was carried out by operatives from the Madalla police division, who were acting on credible intelligence about the movement of children through the area.
The officers intercepted six female children, aged between seven and 13, along the Madalla-Suleja road while they were being transported by a suspect. The man was identified by police as Dauda Ayuba, who was taken into custody at the scene.
Police allege that the suspect was taking the children for domestic work and other forms of child labour. The command said he was accused of deceiving the children's parents with promises of educational opportunities in order to take the children away.
In a separate operation in Minna, the state capital, officers arrested a woman named as Mary Anthony. She was found with three girls, aged between eight and 10, who were also suspected to be victims of trafficking.
The command said both suspects had been transferred to the state criminal investigation department for further questioning. The nine rescued children were taken into the care of the authorities while their families were traced.
Police say the investigation is not closed. According to the command, efforts are continuing to identify and arrest the other members of the alleged trafficking networks believed to be behind the movement of the children.