Growing concerns are mounting over the increasing cases of child trafficking linked to Plateau State, with stakeholders warning that the situation has evolved into a major humanitarian and security challenge.
In recent years, security agencies have intercepted and rescued more than a thousand vulnerable children allegedly trafficked from the state to various parts of Nigeria and neighbouring countries, including Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Togo and Benin Republic. Many of the victims were reportedly destined for forced labour, domestic servitude and sexual exploitation.
Data gathered from rescue operations indicate that over 85 percent of trafficked children originate from the Langtang North and South axis, a trend that continues to puzzle authorities and community leaders. Some of the rescued victims were reportedly as young as two years old.
Officials and child rights advocates say organized trafficking networks often exploit poverty-stricken rural communities, disguising themselves as religious leaders, NGO workers, education agents or even relatives. They reportedly lure parents with promises of education, jobs and better living conditions for their children, only to subject them to exploitation elsewhere.
In one incident last year, security operatives intercepted a group of trafficked children in an Abuja suburb while they were being transported to Lagos. The local government chairman from the affected community described the development as alarming, lamenting that Plateau had become a major source point for child trafficking.
Authorities say some cases have also involved allegations of organ harvesting, further heightening fears among residents and advocacy groups.
A major breakthrough occurred when police arrested a clergyman in Jos South who allegedly ran a trafficking network spanning several local government areas. Investigations revealed that recruiters linked to the syndicate operated in communities affected by poverty and communal violence.
Reacting to the growing trend, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Caroline Panglang Dafur, reportedly expressed deep concern after another group of underage children was rescued while being transported out of the state.
Civil society organizations have also intensified advocacy efforts. Apostle Jack Mamven Light, founder of the Itarok Development Foundation, said his group has rescued and repatriated over 100 victims and conducted sensitization campaigns in vulnerable communities.
He noted that many rescued children had been forced into farm labour across several states, including Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos and Rivers, where they worked long hours under harsh conditions.
Child rights activist Grace Jonah attributed the rise in trafficking to a mix of poverty, insecurity, displacement and parental neglect, noting that traffickers often operate as coordinated cartels.
She warned that prolonged communal conflicts and economic hardship in rural communities have made many families vulnerable to deception, increasing the likelihood that children will be trafficked under the guise of opportunity.
Stakeholders are now calling for stronger law enforcement collaboration, expanded public awareness campaigns and sustained community-level interventions to curb the growing menace.
Agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other partners continue to coordinate rescue and prevention efforts, but advocates say more sustained action is urgently needed.
