Operatives of the Niger State Police Command have arrested two suspected child traffickers and rescued nine children in separate operations across the state.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, said officers attached to the Madalla Division intercepted and arrested one Dauda Ayuba of Senchi village in the Kaffin-Koro area of Paikoro Local Council on July 9, 2026, at about 2:30 p.m. while on patrol along the Madalla-Suleja Road.

Ayuba was arrested while transporting six girls, aged between seven and 13, who were suspected to be victims of child trafficking.

According to Abiodun, the suspect confessed during interrogation that he travelled from Benin City, Edo State, to Niger State after reaching an agreement with a woman identified simply as Iyee and two other suspects, all based at Ogbu Market in Benin, to source six girls for trafficking.

The three alleged traffickers are currently at large.

The police spokesperson said Ayuba disclosed that he received N194,000 to cover transportation and other logistics for conveying the children to Benin, where they were to be distributed as housemaids, sales girls and for other forms of child labour.

He further admitted that he deceived the parents of the children by claiming he intended to enrol them in school.

According to the police, the suspect also revealed that he was promised N30,000 monthly for each child, out of which N20,000 would be paid as the child’s salary, while he would retain N10,000 as his commission.

Abiodun said Ayuba is in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other suspects.

The parents of the rescued children have also been contacted.

In a separate operation, operatives attached to the Kpakungu Division in Minna arrested a 37-year-old woman, Mary Anthony, on July 8, 2026, at about 9:00 a.m. following credible intelligence.

Anthony was apprehended in the Gurara area of Minna with three girls aged between eight and 10, who were also suspected to be victims of child trafficking.

During interrogation, she reportedly claimed that the children’s parents from Gbachiko village in Kagarko Local Council of Kaduna State entrusted the girls to her after she had previously trained one of their older sisters.

She allegedly told the parents she was taking the children to an orphanage in Suleja.

However, police found her with the girls in Minna.

Anthony is also being held at the SCID for further investigation, while the three rescued children have been reunited with their parents.