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The Plateau State Government has successfully rescued 16 children trafficked to Anambra State and reunited them with their families.
The children, aged between 4 and 9 years and all from Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, were lured with false promises of education and vocational training but were instead exploited for financial gain.
Authorities launched an investigation after two of the victims managed to escape, leading to the arrest of the suspected kingpin, identified as a “madam,” along with her accomplices. The syndicate allegedly harbored 25 children from Plateau and other states, altering their names and identities to conceal their origins.
Speaking on the development on Saturday, September 27, 2025, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Caroline Panglang Dafur, described the rescue as proof of what can be achieved when communities, parents, and government work together to protect the vulnerable.
She said the operation represented “a triumph over trauma, resilience, and hope restored in a world where the innocence of childhood should be protected.”
Dafur confirmed that the suspect behind the trafficking had been arrested and urged the public to remain vigilant, stressing that “if you see something, say something” to help end child trafficking in the state.
Also speaking, the wife of the Bassa Local Government Chairman, Mrs. Miriam Riti, explained that the council had put measures in place to safeguard the rescued children. These include medical examinations, school enrollment, and proper reintegration with their parents. She added that community leaders have been mobilized to monitor the children’s welfare.
One of the parents, Mrs. Asabe Agidi, expressed gratitude to the government, the commissioner, and the local council for rescuing her daughter. She recalled that, as a widow, she initially believed her daughter was being taken away for a better future, not knowing it was a case of trafficking. She promised to do her best to care for her child.
The children were formally handed over to Mrs. Riti by Commissioner Dafur at the J. D. Gomwalk Secretariat in Jos.
