Eight people accused of belonging to a child-trafficking network have been brought before Minna Chief Magistrate Court I by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Niger State Police Command.
The suspects were arrested by the squad under the leadership of DSP Ahmed Sa’idu and later charged to court for their alleged roles in trafficking and trading children.
Police said the suspects were arrested in Nasarawa State while found with several children believed to have been taken from different communities in Niger State.
Those arraigned are Leo Ugochukwu, Ngozi Ugochukwu, Henrietta Obiako, Rosemary Ogbulogo, Chiroma Onyaja, Vincent Emmanuel, Joy Ndife, and Olusegun Isaiah. They are all residents of Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory and parts of Nasarawa State.
They are facing eight charges, including criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, harbouring kidnapped persons, buying and selling of human beings, child stealing, human trafficking, indecent treatment of children, wrongful confinement, and secretly confining persons.
According to the Police First Information Report (FIR) marked MMC/CMC/74/25, the offences are punishable under Sections 60(2)(a)(1), 211, 238, and 239 of the Niger State Penal Code Law.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Aliyu Yakub Kuta, told the court that on November 5, 2025, at about 3:00 pm, one Victoria Ebunoha from Loko in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State was arrested at Dikko Junction with three male children suspected to be stolen.
During interrogation, she reportedly admitted to taking 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 further said investigations revealed that she had earlier stolen seven other children from their parents in Lambata and Sabon Wuse areas, including children belonging to Mohammed Bala, Danlami Zhami, and Bello Usman.
He added that the children were sold to Leo Ugochukwu of Loko for ₦1.1 million each.
Further investigation, according to the police, showed that all the accused persons admitted to knowingly buying the children from Victoria Ebunoha, despite being aware they were stolen.
When the charges were read to them by the presiding Chief Magistrate, Murtala Bala Ibrahim, all the defendants pleaded not guilty.
