NAPTIP Raises Alarm as Parents Allegedly Trade Children for Sex, Arrests Woman in Abuja

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raised the alarm over allegations that some parents and guardians are facilitating the sexual exploitation of children for money, warning that anyone found culpable will face prosecution.

The warning followed the arrest of a middle-aged woman in Abuja over allegations that she offered her teenage daughter to men for sexual gratification in exchange for money.

NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, expressed concern over the reported cases, describing the alleged involvement of parents in the sexual exploitation of their children as a grave betrayal of their responsibility to protect them.

Bello issued the warning in Abuja on Friday, October 16, 2026, amid concerns about child sexual abuse, trafficking and exploitation in Nigeria.

The agency has not publicly disclosed the identities of the suspect or the alleged victim. Details of the alleged transactions, the number of people involved and the status of the investigation have also not been fully disclosed.

The Director-General said reports received at NAPTIP’s headquarters and commands across the country suggested that cases of parents allegedly facilitating the sexual abuse of their children for financial benefits could be increasing. However, the agency has not released figures establishing the scale of the reported cases.

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She warned that the sexual exploitation of children could cause lasting physical and psychological harm, undermine their well-being and expose them to serious health risks.

Bello stressed that parents and guardians should be protectors of children rather than facilitators of abuse, adding that no financial reward could justify the exploitation of a minor.

She said NAPTIP had strengthened its monitoring and enforcement mechanisms and was working with other law enforcement agencies and relevant partners to investigate reports of child abuse and prosecute suspects where sufficient evidence exists.

The agency has also directed its commands nationwide to intensify surveillance, improve rapid-response mechanisms and ensure that reports involving child abuse and sexual exploitation receive appropriate attention.

Bello maintained that anyone found to have facilitated the sexual exploitation of a child would be held accountable in accordance with the law.

The NAPTIP chief also urged parents to exercise greater vigilance over people who have access to their children, particularly when they are away from home.

She advised families to conduct proper background checks on domestic workers, drivers, gardeners, gatekeepers, school-run operators and other service providers who may interact with children as part of their daily duties.

According to the agency, safeguarding children requires parents and guardians to take reports of suspicious behaviour seriously and establish appropriate measures to prevent abuse.

The warning comes amid wider concerns over human trafficking and child exploitation in Nigeria.

On September 1, 2026, reports indicated that NAPTIP had rescued more than 180 trafficked children across five states following investigations into suspected trafficking networks.

Some suspects allegedly posed as representatives of civil society organisations and approached families in vulnerable communities with promises of educational assistance and back-to-school support before taking their children away.

One reported case involved three children allegedly taken from a parent in Kajuru, Kaduna State, and later recovered from a private building in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Other children were reportedly recovered during investigations into suspected trafficking activities involving locations in Benue and Nasarawa states, Abuja and other areas.

The agency also reported cases in which children were allegedly moved between locations and placed in orphanages under circumstances investigators suspected involved trafficking and unlawful transactions.

These cases are separate from the Abuja sexual-exploitation allegations but highlight the different methods through which children can be exposed to abuse, trafficking and financial exploitation.

NAPTIP has urged members of the public to report suspected cases of child abuse and trafficking and cooperate with investigations aimed at protecting vulnerable children.

The agency reiterated its commitment to investigating allegations, rescuing victims and prosecuting suspected offenders where the evidence supports criminal charges.

The allegations against the woman arrested in Abuja have not been established in court. The outcome of the investigation will determine whether charges can be sustained against her or any other person suspected of involvement.

NAPTIP warned that parents and guardians who facilitate the sexual exploitation of children could face legal consequences if found guilty, stressing that protecting children must remain a shared responsibility of families, communities and relevant authorities.