Child trafficking incidents in Nigeria

Authorities in Nigeria have intercepted multiple attempts at child trafficking across several states.

In early August, police in Jigawa State arrested a nursing officer and an accomplice following the disappearance of a child from a paediatric ward at Babura General Hospital. Investigators reported the suspects intended to sell the boy for approximately 2 million naira and transport him to Kaduna State. The child was rescued and placed in protective custody.

Later in the month, two additional incidents were intercepted. In Cross River State, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) accused three workers of attempting to sell their employer’s two-year-old child. In Taraba State, police arrested two women in Jalingo for allegedly attempting to traffic three girls, aged five to six, to Adamawa State after deceiving their mothers. In the Taraba case, the children were reunited with their families.

On August 27, 2026, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command arrested two women, Rose Daniel and Blessing John, in the Kuje Area Council. They were apprehended while allegedly attempting to flee with a four-year-old girl after a resident alerted authorities. Investigations suggest the suspects are repeat offenders who were previously convicted for similar offenses in December 2025. Police reports indicate that following their previous release, the women allegedly abducted and trafficked four additional children, including two who were reportedly sold in Port Harcourt for N1.5 million each. The rescued four-year-old has been reunited with her family.