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2 clusters · 9 sources · 12 days · First seen · Last updated

Child trafficking syndicate operations in Nigeria

Overview

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has conducted operations to dismantle child-trafficking networks in Nigeria.

In Port Harcourt, authorities sealed an illegal maternity facility in the Elelenwo area suspected of being operated by a syndicate involved in the sale of babies. The operation led to the arrest of the facility owner, a facilitator, and a staff member. Investigations revealed that a Liberian national residing in Belgium allegedly took custody of three children following a transaction involving approximately ₦13.5 million.

In a separate large-scale intervention, NAPTIP rescued over 180 children across five states. These syndicates reportedly operated under the guise of humanitarian groups and civil society organizations, targeting vulnerable communities by promising educational assistance. The agency recovered children from various locations, including a private building in Onitsha, and arrested a nurse at the Federal Medical Centre in Onitsha for allegedly possessing a trafficked child. NAPTIP leadership has called for internal investigations within civil society organizations to purge criminal elements.

Entities

National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons · Rivers State Ministry of Health · Vincent Adekoye · Federal Medical Centre Onitsha · Port Harcourt

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. 12 days ago

    [CRIME] 5 sources
    NAPTIP rescues 180 children from trafficking syndicates in Nigeria

    NAPTIP has rescued over 180 children trafficked from five Nigerian states by criminal groups posing as humanitarian and civil society organizations.

  2. 23 days ago

    [CRIME] 6 sources
    NAPTIP seals illegal maternity facility in Port Harcourt

    NAPTIP and Rivers State health officials sealed an illegal maternity facility in Port Harcourt following allegations of a child-trafficking syndicate involving the sale of three children for ₦13.5 million.

Sources

afghanistans.com · arise.tv · blueprint.ng · dailytrust.com.ng · healthwise.punchng.com · orientalnewsng.com · punchng.com · thisdaylive.com · von.gov.ng