Organized criminal syndicates have adopted a new strategy of posing as civil society organizations (CSOs), humanitarian workers, and orphanage representatives to gain access to children from vulnerable families, according to recent findings.
The groups are reportedly persuading parents to hand over their children under false pretenses, with victims recently rescued from trafficking networks that operate across several states.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) reported that it has rescued over 180 children who were trafficked across five states by groups operating under the guise of civil society organizations.
NAPTIP stated that these criminal groups have been deceiving parents in various communities by acting as CSO representatives to take children away.
In a related operation, the Oyo State Police Command announced the rescue of 17 children from an interstate child-stealing and trafficking syndicate operating across Oyo, Ogun, and Delta states.
The Civil Society Network on Migration and Development noted that traffickers are increasingly masquerading as representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), particularly faith-based and humanitarian groups, to access children from impoverished families.
The network reported that these individuals frequently approach vulnerable families in rural communities, offering promises of better education and brighter futures for the children.
Angela Okoye, a member of the national working committee for the Civil Society Network, stated on Thursday that children taken under these arrangements often end up as domestic servants or house helps, frequently working without pay.
Okoye noted that moving children to distant locations away from their families and communities increases their vulnerability to maltreatment, abuse, exploitation, and other human rights violations.
She urged NAPTIP and other security agencies to enhance their monitoring of organizations involved in child-focused interventions and to improve their response protocols.
Okoye also called on the public to provide credible intelligence to authorities regarding suspected child trafficking, exploitation, or the suspicious movement of children under the guise of educational or humanitarian interventions.
Bilikis Oladimeji, a member of the National Working Committee of the Federation of Muslim Women Associations in Nigeria and founder of the Balimod Women and Child Initiative, warned that criminals are also exploiting public sympathy for trafficking victims to solicit funds.
Oladimeji stated that genuine organizations are facing increased suspicion due to individuals posing as NGOs seeking financial assistance without implementing the actual projects they claim to support.
She appealed to government agencies and donors to strictly verify the credentials of organizations seeking funds for trafficking victims.
Oladimeji also recommended closer monitoring of orphanages to prevent children in institutional care from being subjected to exploitation.
NAPTIP spokesperson Vincent Adekoye announced that the agency has increased its surveillance to combat the new trafficking methods, leading to the closure of several orphanage centers across the country based on reasonable suspicion.
Adekoye confirmed that heightened surveillance and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies have led to the rescue of additional children and the sealing of suspect orphanages in Delta, Port Harcourt, the Federal Capital Territory, and other areas.
He stated that the agency acts immediately upon receiving credible intelligence and uncovering improper activities, emphasizing that their operational activities have intensified.
According to Adekoye, NAPTIP Director-General Binta Adamu has directed all commands nationwide to intensify efforts targeting orphanages and child trafficking networks.
Force Public Relations Officer Anietie Iniedu told reporters that the anti-human trafficking unit of the Force Criminal Investigation Department has been reorganized to strengthen efforts against trafficking.
Iniedu stated that the police are closely monitoring orphanage centers and other facilities suspected of being used as conduits for child trafficking.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) spokesman, Babawale Afolabi, confirmed that the corps has launched investigations based on information obtained from recently apprehended trafficking suspects, though he declined to provide further details on the ongoing process.
Afolabi warned parents and guardians against individuals offering overly attractive opportunities for their children, identifying promises of free education and lucrative employment as major red flags.
He advised the public to be cautious of individuals posing as child-rights advocates offering “Eldorado” and urged Nigerians to report suspicious activities regarding child labor and questionable orphanage operations.
Child-rights activist Temilola Salami noted that while public vigilance is important, it cannot replace effective regulation, pointing out that the enforcement of Nigeria’s child-protection laws remains a major challenge.
Salami stated that while the Child Rights Act provides safeguards on paper, only a few states have digitized registers, inspections are infrequent, and traffickers use adoption loopholes—including private fostering and fake NGOs—to bypass court processes.
She added that the lack of a centralized national database between NAPTIP and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development creates regulatory gaps.
Wilfred Ilebaye, a child and gender rights activist, stated that unregistered facilities, including alleged baby factories and faith-based homes, remain a significant concern due to weak government monitoring and inadequate funding.
Muhammed Habeeb, an Abuja-based early-childhood education and illegal migration expert, recommended that donor agencies conduct thorough due diligence before releasing funds to organizations claiming to support trafficking survivors to prevent fraudulent groups from damaging public confidence in genuine NGOs.
Habeeb emphasized that rescued children require comprehensive support beyond immediate rescue, including shelter, education, medical care, counseling, rehabilitation, and economic empowerment, noting that the psychological impacts of abandonment and abuse are long-lasting.
