BENUE: NAPTIP RESCUES 58 MISSING CHILDREN

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By: Balogun Ibrahim

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) announced on Tuesday that it has rescued 58 of the 300 missing children in Benue State.

The disclosure was made at a press conference in Makurdi by Mrs. Gloria Bai, Zonal Commander of NAPTIP’s Makurdi Command, and was delivered on her behalf by Mr. Yusuf Abdul, the agency’s Head of Operations.

Abdul stated that the children were rescued during four separate operations.

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The zonal commander said the investigation into the matter began in May 2025.

She disclosed that the rescued children were recovered from Yelewata, Ukpam, and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area.

The children, aged between two and eight years, were part of a group of about 300 reported missing. The command has arrested the gang leader, identified as Archbong, along with four others, and the investigation is ongoing to locate the remaining children.

“We launched intensive efforts to investigate the case, which led to four separate recoveries of survivors. The children are between two and eight years old,” she said.

She added that the first recovery involved 20 children who had been taken from Benue, particularly Guma LGA, to Nasarawa and Abuja; these children have since been reunited with their families.

The second recovery took place at three orphanage homes in Abuja, where six children were rescued and returned to their families.