Authorities in Kogi State have intercepted a truck ferrying 21 underage children into the state in what officials believe may have been a covert attempt to recruit the minors for banditry.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, disclosed this in a statement issued early Tuesday, noting that the operation was carried out by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Yagba Area Command.
Fanwo said the children, aged between six and 17, were apprehended on December 5 after security personnel, acting on intelligence provided by community hunters, stopped the truck in Isanlu.
“Initial investigations revealed that the children were brought in from various northern states under suspicious circumstances,” the statement said. “The accompanying adults could not provide credible explanations for their movement.”
Several suspects believed to be linked to the operation were arrested, including individuals who claimed the children were being transported to establish an informal Islamic school in Yagba East.
Additional arrests were made as security agencies expanded surveillance in the area, leading to the discovery of more persons allegedly connected to the movement of the minors.
Fanwo noted that some of the suspects were found with items that raised “significant security concerns.” The rescued children have been moved to the NSCDC Command headquarters in Lokoja for thorough investigation and proper profiling.
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Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to take full custody of the minors, ensure their safety, and provide psychological support while investigations continue.
“After profiling and verification, the children will be handed over to their respective states for further investigation and reintegration with their families,” Fanwo said.
He added that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted under Kogi State’s child trafficking and child rights protection laws.
“The Kogi State Government maintains a zero-tolerance stance on child trafficking, criminal infiltration and all threats to public safety,” the statement read. “Governor Ododo’s administration will continue working with security agencies and local communities to safeguard every part of the state.”