By Deborah Nnamdi
Operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Niger State Police Command have arraigned eight suspected members of a child-trafficking syndicate before Minna Chief Magistrate Court I for allegedly trafficking and trading in children.
The suspects were arrested by the squad led by its head, DSP Ahmed Sa’idu, and subsequently charged before the court on multiple counts bordering on child stealing and human trafficking.
Those arraigned are Leo Ugochukwu, Ngozi Ugochukwu, Henrietta Obiako, Rosemary Ogbulogo, Chiroma Onyaja, Vincent Emmanuel, Joy Ndife, and Olusegun Isaiah. Police said the defendants are residents of Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory and parts of Nasarawa State.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR) marked MMC/CMC/74/25, the suspects were charged on eight counts, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, concealing or keeping kidnapped persons, dealing in the sale of human beings, child stealing, trafficking in persons, indecent treatment of children, and wrongful confinement. The offences are punishable under Sections 60(2)(a)(1), 211, 238, and 239 of the Niger State Penal Code Law.
Prosecuting counsel, Inspector Aliyu Yakub Kuta, told the court that on November 5, 2025, at about 3:00 p.m., one Victoria Ebunoha of Loko, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, was arrested at Dikko Junction while in possession of three male children suspected to have been stolen.
He said that during interrogation, Ebunoha allegedly confessed to stealing the children from Lambata in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State and was on her way to Nyanya in the FCT to sell them.
The prosecutor added that further investigations revealed that the suspect had stolen seven other children from their parents in Lambata and Sabon Wuse areas of Niger State, including children belonging to Mohammed Bala, Danlami Zhami, and Bello Usman, among others.
According to the prosecution, the stolen children were allegedly sold to one of the defendants, Leo Ugochukwu of Loko, at the rate of N1.1 million per child, adding that all the accused persons confessed to knowingly purchasing the children despite being aware that they were stolen.
When the charges were read to the defendants by the presiding Chief Magistrate, Murtala Bala Ibrahim, they all pleaded not guilty.
The prosecutor thereafter applied for an adjournment and requested that the suspects be remanded in Minna Old Correctional Custody pending further proceedings.
Granting the application, the magistrate ordered the remand of the defendants and adjourned the case to January 5, 2026, for further mention.
