Plateau Govt rescues five children being trafficked to Cross River, arrests three suspects

The Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, in collaboration with security agencies, have rescued five children who were being trafficked to Calabar, Cross River State.

It was gathered that three of the children are from Utan community in Jos North LGA, while the other two—twins—hail from Irigwe Chiefdom in Bassa LGA.

The suspects were identified as Lydia Bulus, Linda Monday, and Esther Solomon.

They were arrested at Ngo Tallatu Jang motor park in Jos on Thurday, February 13, 2026. 

Chairperson of the Commission, Olivia Dazyam, expressed sadness that, despite awareness campaigns, people continue to engage in human trafficking.

“This morning, together with the wife of the Chairman of Bassa Local Government and staff of NAPTIP, we acted on a tip-off and rescued these children,” she said. 

Dazyam added that the law is clear: child trafficking is a serious offence.

“I want to call on the people of Plateau State to unite and say no to these activities. Virtually all our local governments have perpetrators, and we must work together to fish them out,” she said. 

The commission has appealed to local governments, particularly those considered hot spots, to cooperate in the fight against human trafficking. The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects are expected to provide more information on the trafficking network.

Dazyam also urged parents to follow due process when adopting or relocating children.

“Poverty is not an excuse for releasing your child to somebody you don’t know,” she added.