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The Plateau State Taskforce successfully intercepted two children being trafficked from Langtang South Local Government Area to Lagos.
The taskforce also apprehended a female suspect during the rescue operation.
Confirming the incident, the Plateau State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Caroline Panglang Dafur, revealed that the victims were rescued at the Lagos Park in Jos.
“Underage Tarok children from Langtang South LGA were intercepted at a Lagos park in Jos, destined to be ‘waybilled’ to Lagos to work for an unknown madam. The trafficker was trailed and arrested by the Plateau State Joint Taskforce on Trafficking.
“Mrs. Manwor Ayuba has been arrested following the interception of the underage children. Child labour and exploitation is a crime on the Plateau,” the commissioner stated.
Dafur called on Plateau residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security forces, emphasising that collective action is key to eradicating the menace of human trafficking.
Trafficking in Plateau
The increasing prevalence of human trafficking in Plateau State has drawn serious concerns from stakeholders, including the Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS).
Addressing journalists in Jos, CWEENS National Coordinator, Prof. Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, described the situation as alarming and in urgent need of resolution.
She highlighted a recent operation by the Joint Task Force and Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), which uncovered a major trafficking syndicate.
“On December 2, 2024, acting on credible intelligence, a woman named Nanman Pungtel was arrested at Old Airport Junction, Jos, with three children she could not account for.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of the mastermind, Pastor Dayo Bernard of End Time Army Ministry in Bukuru, later that same night. This operation resulted in the rescue of five children, aged 2 to 4, abducted from various homes in Kwande, Qua’an Pan LGA,” she explained.
Additional syndicate members—Rita Agboeze, Victoria Ugwu, and Peter Ukwuani—were also arrested. During interrogation, Pastor Dayo Bernard confessed to abducting and selling 13 children from Plateau State at prices ranging from ₦350,000 to ₦750,000.
In December alone, CWEENS sheltered and provided psychological care for 17 trafficked children, including 13 rescued locally and four brought in from Mali and Ghana. All victims have since been reunited with their families through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Advocating for Action
CWEENS urged the government to address the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty and unemployment, by creating livelihood programs for vulnerable families.
“The government must support women and youth through vocational training and grants to reduce the desperation that traffickers exploit,” Para-Mallam said.
The organisation also called for stricter enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, harsher penalties for offenders, and enhanced collaboration between law enforcement, the judiciary, and child protection agencies to ensure swift prosecution of traffickers and proper care for victims.
Recommendations included: establishing child protection watch groups in communities to identify and report suspicious activities; creating toll-free hotlines for reporting trafficking cases; and equipping rapid response teams to preempt abductions and rescue victims effectively.
“We must reaffirm our commitment to creating a society where every child is valued, protected, and given the opportunity to thrive. The fight against child trafficking requires a collective effort from families, communities, civil society, and government.
“Together, we can dismantle the systems of exploitation and ensure no child falls victim to traffickers,” the National Coordinator concluded.
