NSCDC Rescues 15 Trafficked Minors Sold for ₦2m Each by Fake NGO Official

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has announced the rescue of 15 minors who were allegedly trafficked and sold for ₦2 million each by a fake official of a civil society organisation, the National Council of Child Rights Advocate . The victims, taken from communities in Nasarawa State, were recovered across multiple states in a coordinated intelligence-led operation that also led to the recovery of stolen rifles and vandalised telecommunications equipment .

The NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this at a news briefing on Friday at the corps’ headquarters in Abuja . He said the rescue was carried out during a major crackdown on criminal syndicates involved in human trafficking, vandalism and other forms of criminality . The Corps also said stolen rifles and vandalised telecommunications equipment were recovered during the operation .

According to Afolabi, a member of the syndicate represented himself as an official of the National Council of Child Rights Advocate and deceived parents into handing over their children . The suspect operated under the guise of running an NGO and orphanage programme called the Back to School Project, using promises of free education to lure vulnerable, less privileged parents into releasing their children .

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“Under the guise of operating an NGO and orphanage programme called the Back to School Project, he lured willing, less privileged parents into releasing their children with promises of free education,” Afolabi said .

He added that the operation was carried out by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) , headed by Commander Dandaura Appollos . Afolabi said the investigation followed a petition regarding missing children in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and uncovered a syndicate allegedly headed by one Anderson Archibong .

The suspect allegedly took 16 children from Kama Madaki and Gudindi Mada communities in Kokona LGA in January 2026 and sold them to buyers in different parts of the country for ₦2 million each . Through advanced field tracking, technical intelligence and multi-state tactical sweeps, operatives tracked down the buyers who were from different locations in the country .

According to Afolabi, three of the victims were rescued separately in Anambra, Imo and Enugu states, while 12 others were recovered through coordinated operations along eastern transit routes . Efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining child and apprehend other members of the syndicate .

Afolabi further disclosed that three suspected buyers had been arrested in connection with the case . The suspects were identified as Joy Julius, Ngozi, and Eze Lazarus—comprising one man and two women—and they have allegedly confessed to their involvement in the trafficking operation .

The NSCDC spokesperson said that the Corps maintains a zero-tolerance policy against human trafficking and other forms of criminality . Upon completion of the corps’ investigation, all suspects found culpable will be prosecuted in courts of competent jurisdiction . The NSCDC Directorate of Legal Services has been directed to immediately initiate prosecution against all arrested suspects .

The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, commended the CG’s SIS for what he described as tactical coordination and operational efficiency .

The development has exposed how promises of education and better opportunities can allegedly be used to gain the trust of struggling parents before children are transferred to traffickers or buyers . The Corps has urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of child trafficking to security agencies .

In a related development, the CG’s SIS also dismantled a syndicate allegedly involved in the vandalism and theft of telecommunications infrastructure across Delta and Kano states, and recovered three stolen service rifles as part of separate operations targeting illegal arms diversion and internal corruption .

NSCDC Rescues 15 Trafficked Minors Sold for ₦2m Each by Fake NGO Official

How Celestial Church Pastor Killed Wife, Died by Suicide in Ogun Over Alleged Infidelity

Two heaps of fresh sand behind a three-bedroom bungalow in the Ogooluwa community, Akiode Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, are all that remain of a tragedy that has left residents struggling to make sense of what happened. Placed side by side behind the house, the heaps mark the graves of a husband and wife whose lives ended within hours of each other following a reported domestic dispute that spiralled into violence and death. The house, built beside the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Iri Orun Parish—owned by the couple—was deserted when our correspondent visited the community on Thursday. The church was also quiet, and the stillness of the air in the environment was a stark pointer to the horror that had recently visited the neighborhood. But for residents, the silence has not erased the terror of Monday, August 31, 2026, when Bidemi Odukoya (also referred to as Evangelist Abidemi Odukoya), the Shepherd of Iri Orun Parish of the CCC, allegedly macheted his wife to death during a midnight domestic dispute before reportedly taking his own life.

The incident reportedly occurred around 2 am, though some early accounts suggest cries for help were heard as early as 1 am. According to the Baale of the community, Chief Taiwo Akiode, residents knocked on his door around 3 am to inform him that the Shepherd had allegedly killed his wife. The residents had first informed the police and were later instructed to alert him. “I was told that the Shepherd had killed his wife, that he macheted her. I could not believe my ears until we got to their residence and met the woman in a pool of her blood,” Akiode recounted. “There was a wound that looked like a machete cut, and there was also a stool which we also heard that the man smashed on his wife’s head. The police later came around and took photographs of the scene. All this while, the Shepherd was nowhere to be found. The thought was that he had taken to his heels, having realised the weight of his grievous actions.” The victim, whose name has been identified by neighbours as Adenike Odukoya (affectionately called “Mummy Daniel”), sustained fatal head injuries from the attack. She was reportedly struck repeatedly with both a machete and a wooden stool.

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A neighbour, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oseni, gave a harrowing account of how the tragedy unfolded. She recalled that it was Daniel, the couple’s 14-year-old first child, who woke her around 2 am after he realised that his father had attacked his mother. “By the time myself and one other neighbour got to the residence of the couple, we discovered the lifeless body of Mummy Daniel with a broken head, all covered in blood, on the floor,” Oseni said, barely holding back her tears. “We later got to hear that the Shepherd used a machete and wooden stool to smash the head of his wife. We also saw Daddy Daniel with a cutlass in his hand. As I was asking him why he would go to the extent of killing his wife, he calmly said that he too was as good as gone. But because he was holding the cutlass, we could not move closer.” Oseni said Odukoya later went inside the house, but the neighbours did not realise that he had left the community that midnight to take his own life. The couple had three children together, including Daniel and a seven-year-old last born. The children are now orphaned and have been left in the care of extended family members, according to community sources.

After allegedly attacking his wife, Odukoya fled the community and headed for the Coker junction, Ifo section of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, about a 20-minute drive away from the Akiode community. Around 7 am, reports emerged that he had allegedly jumped in front of a moving truck, resulting in his instant death. According to the Baale, eyewitnesses at Ifo described the pastor’s final moments: “Some people at Ifo told us that when the deceased got to the expressway, he was crossing the expressway back and forth repeatedly. He later sat on the divider, after which he saw an oncoming truck and jumped before it and died.” Traffic was reportedly disrupted on the busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway following the incident, as motorists and pedestrians gathered at the scene. The truck driver, whose identity has not been disclosed, was taken into police custody for questioning but was later released, according to sources.

In a surreal turn of events, both husband and wife were buried beside their home on Monday evening—the same day they died. The Baale explained the timeline: “The wife was buried around 5 pm, while the husband’s remains were returned to the community later in the evening. The corpse of the husband, which was brought back to the community very late, maybe because of documentation and other things, was buried beside his wife past seven in the evening.” The side-by-side graves behind the couple’s bungalow now serve as a permanent reminder of the tragedy that unfolded in the quiet community. The graves were reportedly dug by community members who were still in shock over the events of that day.

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The youth leader of the community, Seun Adelana, alleged that the crisis that claimed the lives of the couple was rooted in infidelity. “Allegations of infidelity from both the husband and wife were said to have been the major reason responsible for this sad event,” Adelana told journalists. “The husband was said to have been alleging that the wife was dating another man, and some people also said that the shepherd was dating another woman. So, this is what we gathered led to the altercation, which made the husband kill the woman.” However, the Asiwaju of Ibogun Akiode, Chief Oluwasegun Adeboye (76), offered additional context. According to him, the couple’s marital issues had escalated to the point where they had taken their case to court prior to the tragedy. “We even heard that they have already taken their case to court and they were asked to go back home and see if they could amicably resolve their differences, after which they return to the court for the next course of action,” Adeboye stated. “According to what we heard, they were supposed to have returned to court again on Wednesday, but everything has ended on Monday, two days earlier.”

The tragedy has brought to light contradictory accounts of the couple’s relationship, with some neighbours expressing shock while others revealed a history of domestic violence. Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oseni, who lived close to the couple, gave a more troubling picture: “Sincerely, Mummy Daniel and her husband, who we fondly called Iri Orun, have always engaged in domestic fights. Recently, I had to help take care of the wife after their usual fight. There was even police involvement, after which we thought that the misunderstanding had been settled. It was after the tragedy of Monday, August 31, that we got to understand that both husband and wife had reportedly not been on speaking terms since June as a fallout of their regular squabble.” Oseni lamented that she had repeatedly advised the late woman to seek peace in her marriage: “I have particularly been weeping since this incident occurred because I have always told Mummy Daniel to try and be patient and give peace a chance because I am always troubled by the couple’s persistent fight. But she would always tell me that she can’t leave her children behind, particularly her last born, who is seven years old. But sadly, everything has ended this terrible and painful way.”

The Baale of the community, Chief Taiwo Akiode, described the incident as a tragedy of monumental proportions that no one saw coming. “This unfortunate incident is the first of its kind in this environment. It is a tragedy of monumental proportion that no one saw coming. It is something that you only come across in Nollywood films, those ones we watch on television. Nobody ever believes that such a sad incident could happen just at our backyard,” he said. “It is even more puzzling and very disturbing with the kind of personalities involved, I mean the Shepherd and his wife. Both of them were very jovial and respectful. They behaved so responsibly and greeted me cheerfully whenever they were passing by. Since over nine or 10 years that they have been living with us, you don’t get to hear that the couple are troublesome or quarrelsome. So I find it difficult to believe that it is these same set of people that could be involved in such a brutal domestic fight that claimed their souls in a very disturbing manner, leaving everyone behind to wallow in wild bewilderment.” Chief Akiode added that it was only after the tragedy that he heard claims that the couple frequently fought: “It is after their death that some people were saying that the couple were fond of fighting, but like I said earlier, I never heard anything like that. These people were quite nice. You will even think that they were siblings. They cut a picture of a loving couple that I would never have, in my wildest imagination, thought could cause all of this anguish.” Chief Oluwasegun Adeboye, the Asiwaju of Ibogun Akiode, also expressed sadness: “Some of us also believe that what happened might not be unconnected with some diabolical powers; it goes beyond the ordinary. We are only praying that the devil will not have a foothold in our homes.”

The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the incident and is investigating the circumstances surrounding both deaths. ASP Opeyemi Oluborode, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, provided an official statement: “The command is very much aware of the case. The case file is currently being transferred to the SCID [State Criminal Investigation Department] for diligent investigation into knowing the actual facts surrounding the sad incidents.” Police sources confirmed that photographs were taken at the scene of the wife’s murder, and the truck driver involved in the pastor’s death was initially detained for questioning. The case has now been moved to the SCID in Abeokuta for further investigation. The police have not yet made any official determination on the cause of death for either party, pending the outcome of the investigation.

The community leader, Chief Akiode, used the tragedy as an opportunity to call for greater tolerance and patience in marriages. “It is worrisome that this could happen between husband and wife. It calls for lots of sober reflection. We should know that even if we disagree as couples, it should not be to the extent that life will be lost. We should see ourselves as partners and we must build our relationship on genuine love. We should also not wait for things to degenerate if we are having challenges with our marriage. We should seek help and counselling before things get out of hand.” The tragedy has also sparked conversations about mental health, as the pastor’s behaviour in his final moments—crossing the expressway repeatedly before throwing himself in front of a truck—suggests a state of severe distress or mental instability. Experts argue that such cases highlight the need for better mental health awareness and accessible counselling services in Nigerian communities. Key takeaways from this tragedy include the importance of seeking professional help when faced with marital challenges, recognising that domestic violence is never an acceptable response to conflict, understanding that infidelity—whether real or perceived—does not justify murder, acknowledging that children are the ones who suffer most in such tragedies, and the need for community vigilance and early intervention to help prevent such incidents.

How Celestial Church Pastor Killed Wife, Died by Suicide in Ogun Over Alleged Infidelity

No One Can Live on N70,000, Not Even a Newborn – Sowore

The African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Omoyele Sowore, has declared that no Nigerian can realistically survive on the current N70,000 minimum wage, insisting that even his proposed N500,000 wage would be inadequate amid the country’s soaring cost of living.

Sowore made the remarks on Friday morning while appearing as a guest on Rapid FM in Rivers State. The activist and former presidential candidate was defending his long-standing proposal for a N500,000 minimum wage when the presenter questioned whether increasing workers’ salaries could worsen inflation by putting more money into circulation without a corresponding increase in productivity. Sowore firmly rejected this argument, stating that Nigeria’s inflation was primarily being driven by the rising cost of production and government policies rather than workers’ wages. He said the N70,000 minimum wage was grossly inadequate for workers to meet their most basic needs, including food, transportation, accommodation and clothing.

“There’s nobody technically, or realistically, that can live on N70,000 a month, even a newborn baby,” Sowore said. He added that his proposed N500,000 minimum wage should not be regarded as excessive given current economic realities. “Even the N500,000 I’m proposing, in my view, it’s too small. But just for the sake of argument, say, okay, let’s pay people just enough to be able to make a living. That’s what the proposal is about,” he said.

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Sowore argued that Nigeria was experiencing what economists describe as “cost-push inflation”, which occurs when rising production and input costs drive up the prices of goods and services. “It’s driven by cost. The type of inflation we have is called cost-push inflation. And it is because the cost of production is very high,” he said. According to him, rising electricity tariffs have contributed significantly to the increase in the cost of production across the country. “You know how much electricity tariffs have jumped in the last three years,” he said. He also linked the rising cost of transportation to the removal of the petrol subsidy by the Federal Government, noting that the increase in fuel prices had translated into higher transportation costs for workers, businesses and consumers.

“It is caused by transportation cost. As a result of the removal of fuel subsidy, wherever you were going for N500 before, it became N2,000. That’s the cost of your inflation,” he said. He further blamed the depreciation of the naira and Nigeria’s heavy dependence on imported goods for worsening the economic situation. “When they just came and floated the naira, at the same time they removed subsidy. That’s the cause of inflation,” he said. Sowore argued that reducing inflation would require the government to tackle the high cost of electricity, transportation and production rather than suppressing workers’ wages. “If you want to change the direction of that inflation, you have to deal with this. You have to reduce electricity tariff. You have to bring back fuel subsidy. That would then force down the cost of transportation and reduce the cost of production,” he said.

The AAC candidate illustrated his argument by comparing Nigeria’s domestic production costs with those of other countries, warning that high energy and transportation costs could eventually make it cheaper to import basic commodities than produce them locally. “It is easier for you to import garri – I just want to be ridiculous by saying from China, than to produce it in Rivers State now because the cost of production of garri in China is lower,” he said. He said Nigeria must make its productive sector more competitive by reducing energy and transportation costs while providing reliable infrastructure for businesses and industries.

Sowore also rejected the argument that higher wages should be tied to concerns over workers’ productivity. He said workers enter into contractual relationships with employers to provide labour in exchange for adequate compensation, while employers and supervisors should be responsible for monitoring productivity. “As long as you come to work as a contract, and you work from, say, 8 o’clock to 2pm or 4pm, I’m going to pay you enough money to enable you to survive,” he said. “The argument as to whether the civil servants are doing work or not is not the argument we are having. That one is regulatory. That is the job of the supervisor,” he added.

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Sowore also questioned the disparity between the earnings of ordinary workers and the allowances, security details, convoys and other benefits enjoyed by political office holders. He argued that government could afford to improve workers’ wages by reducing what he described as wasteful spending and the high cost of governance. “What has the Nigerian worker done wrong to you that you cannot take a little bit now?” he asked. He criticised the use of large convoys by governors and other public officials, questioning the necessity of some government expenditure. “I don’t understand till tomorrow why a governor who is living in his house in Port Harcourt, to go to his office needs an outrider,” Sowore said. “I don’t know why a governor should commission a project in the first place. If a project is completed, it should be commissioned by use,” he added. The presidential candidate also questioned the large security votes allocated to governors, saying such expenditure should be scrutinised and redirected where necessary. “We waste so much money,” he said.

Using food costs as an example, Sowore demonstrated why the current minimum wage was already insufficient to cover workers’ daily meals. “If you eat three times a day, and you are eating N500 food, you eat N1,500. When you go to work or not, you will eat,” he said. “Multiply N1,500 by 30 days in a month. Are we not already past N70,000? Are you not going to transport yourself? Are you not going to wash your clothes?” He said the debate should therefore focus on whether workers could actually survive on their salaries rather than whether N500,000 was too much. “That is the argument. It’s very simple,” he said. Sowore insisted that reducing the cost of governance could help fund better wages and improve workers’ ability to remain productive. “If you don’t want people to work, you don’t want them to go to work, then don’t hire people to work for you. But the moment you have that contract, there’s so much work for you,” he said. “The moment you have that contract, you must ensure that their living conditions are at least able to support their motivation or their ability to get to work and back,” Sowore added.

Sowore’s remarks come amid growing calls from labour unions for a comprehensive wage review. At the Nigeria Rights of Workers Summit 2026 held in Birnin Kebbi in early August, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) formally demanded a N500,000 minimum wage, aligning with Sowore’s long-standing position. The unions argued that the current N70,000 wage had been overtaken by economic realities. NLC Deputy President Adewale Adeyanju stated that the current N70,000 minimum wage “can no longer adequately respond to the realities confronting Nigerian workers, particularly with the rising cost of living.” The NLC and TUC said the period agreed for the last minimum wage review had expired in July, making it necessary to commence fresh negotiations with the Federal Government.

Additionally, the Federal Workers Forum has written to President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly, demanding an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000, arguing that the current salary structure can no longer sustain civil servants amid Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis. The forum also proposed a maximum salary of N1.5 million for Level 17 officers, describing the current wage structure as “suicidal” for federal workers. According to a recent BudgIT report, workers in Nigeria’s most expensive states are left with as little as N7,261 a month after meeting the minimum cost of a healthy diet. The report showed that in Ekiti State, an estimated N62,739 of the N70,000 monthly wage was required to feed an adult adequately, exposing the weakness of judging wage adequacy simply by whether monthly income exceeds the cost of food.

No One Can Live on N70,000, Not Even a Newborn – Sowore