By Bose
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In a disturbing case that highlights Nigeria’s growing child trafficking crisis, a Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has convicted and sentenced two men for trafficking eight children, some of whom were their biological offspring, for exploitation.
The conviction was secured by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigeria’s lead agency in the fight against human trafficking.
The agency has increasingly intensified crackdown on trafficking syndicates amid rising cases, involving minors across vulnerable communities.
The convicts, Mabum Arisha and Mutashu Mabum, both from Mfom 1 Village in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State, were found guilty on 17 counts, bordering on child trafficking and exploitation. According to the court, the men recruited and handed over the children to a suspected trafficker identified as Ada Eze, who is currently at large and being sought by authorities.
The case, filed in August 2024, saw the defendants arraigned in October 2024, where they initially pleaded not guilty. However, following a full trial and presentation of evidence, the presiding judge, Justice L. Ojukwu, convicted both men on all counts.
Delivering judgment, the court sentenced Arisha to 12 years imprisonment on counts 1 to 11, along with a fine of ₦2 million on each count. Mabum received the same 12-year sentence and fines on counts 12 to 17. The sentences are to run concurrently from the date of conviction.
As part of measures to protect the victims, the court also ordered that one of the rescued children be placed under the temporary care of the Cross River State Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development until a suitable family member is identified.
The case underscores a troubling trend in Nigeria’s human trafficking landscape, where economic hardship and weak social safety systems are increasingly pushing even parents into exploiting their own children. Authorities say efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect and ensure justice for all victims.
With this ruling, NAPTIP reiterates its warning that child trafficking, whether by strangers or family members, remains a grave criminal offence that will be met with strict legal consequences under Nigerian law.
