The Benue State Police Command has uncovered a suspected child-trafficking operation and rescued six minors believed to have been illegally transported from an orphanage in Plateau State.
In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, DSP Udeme Edet, confirmed that the children — aged between seven and nine — were intercepted along the Orokam–Enugu Road during a routine patrol on November 20.
According to Edet, operatives became suspicious of a vehicle conveying three women and six young children, prompting them to stop and question the occupants.
The women were subsequently arrested after investigations suggested the children had been removed from the Divine Peace and Grace Orphanage in Jos under questionable circumstances.
Those arrested were identified as Monica Okonkwo, 57; Nkiru Nwosu, 55; and Oyechele Francisca, 57 — all from Umude Oka Dunukofia in Anambra State.
The rescued children were listed as:
Amanda Chukwujekwu, 8
Chioma Maduagwu, 8
Oyechegi Kosisochukwu, 9
Okonkwo Odinaka Chukwu, 9
Arinze Chukwu, 7
Oluchukwu Esther, 9
Edet said the suspects claimed they were taking the children to Anambra State, but could not provide credible documentation or legal backing for the transfer.
“The children have been successfully rescued and are under protective care, while the suspects remain in custody as investigations continue at the State CID,” the statement read.
In a separate development, the police spokesperson revealed that two individuals linked to a motorcycle-theft syndicate along George Akume Way, Makurdi, were lynched by an angry mob before officers arrived at the scene.
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Several stolen items were recovered, including 11 motorcycles, 47 motorcycle seats, fuel tanks, charms, three mattresses, and a single-barrel gun.
Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, condemned the mob action, warning that such acts obstruct investigations and undermine the justice system.
He urged residents to always hand over suspects to the police rather than resorting to jungle justice.
Child trafficking remains a pervasive challenge in Nigeria, with serious consequences that often alter the course of victims’ lives, leaving deep physical, emotional, and social scars.