Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have rescued eight children suspected to have been stolen from Kano and other northern states. The children were found in an orphanage in Delta State, where more than 70 children, including about 15 newborns, were discovered.
According to NAPTIP, the eight victims were identified through pictures and physical features by representatives of their parents from Kano before being reunited with their families. The rescue followed persistent reports from distressed parents in the north about missing children.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police, the Kano State Government, civil society organisations, and concerned parents. NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Bello, condemned the activities of some orphanages, warning that many have become havens for stolen children, and urged state governments to intensify oversight of such facilities.
