Sold for ₦18,000 Each, Resold for ₦76,000: Two Minors Rescued After 4 Months

National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)

Sold for ₦18,000 Each, Resold for ₦76,000: Two Minors Rescued After 4 Months

AKURE — In a harrowing case of child trafficking in Nigeria, an Akure Magistrate’s Court has heard how two minors were allegedly abducted from a riverbank in Ondo State, sold for ₦18,000 each, and forced to hawk goods on the streets of Benin City, Edo State, for four months before being rescued.

The victims — a 14‑year‑old and a 15‑year‑old at the time of their abduction in November 2025 — were later resold to another buyer for ₦76,000, the court was told. They have since been reunited with their families.

The prosecutor, Augustine Omheneimhen, told the court that the offences occurred around 9 a.m. at 1, Chama Street, Ute, in Ondo State. The two boys were playing near a riverbank when the defendants approached them and claimed their father wanted to see them in Ogbese. Trusting the men, the minors followed. Instead of being taken to their father, they were first moved to the Utesi area, where they spent a night in captivity. The next day, they were transported to Benin City, Edo State — a known hotspot for human trafficking in Nigeria.

Once in Benin City, the boys were sold for ₦18,000 each to the wife of one of the defendants’ brothers. They were given trays and forced to hawk goods on busy streets. For four months, the minors lived in captivity. For two of those months, they were separated from each other. In a shocking twist, the court also heard that the boys were later resold to another individual for ₦76,000.

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The case took a turn when the defendants contacted the victims’ parents and demanded an additional ₦10,000. That contact allowed the police to trace the boys’ location. Police prosecutor Omheneimhen noted that statements from the victims and the first defendant provided enough grounds for the court to remand the suspects. The boys were eventually reunited with their families.

The three defendants — John Ushie, 32; Innocent Ushie, 50; and Evelyn Innocent, 38 — were arraigned on charges of child trafficking, abduction, and slavery. According to the prosecutor, their offences contravene Section 369 and are punishable under Sections 369(2)(6)(7) and 362 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State. All three pleaded not guilty. Presiding Magistrate O. Lebi ordered the defendants remanded in the correctional centre in Ondo City. The case was adjourned until August 4, 2026, with a directive to transfer the matter to the Family Magistrate Court in Akure.

This case is not isolated. Child trafficking in Nigeria remains a widespread problem, driven by poverty, family breakdown, and weak enforcement. Edo State has been repeatedly identified by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) as a major source and destination for human trafficking in Nigeria, especially for forced labour and sexual exploitation. In recent operations, NAPTIP rescued 184 suspected trafficking victims in Plateau State in February 2026, including pregnant women and teenagers. In Taraba State, 10 trafficked children were intercepted at a motor park and reunited with their families. Traffickers increasingly use fake scholarships, fraudulent job offers, and claims of family emergencies to lure victims — exactly as seen in this Ondo case. NAPTIP has urged parents and guardians to warn children against following anyone, even familiar faces, without verification.

If you suspect a case of child trafficking in Nigeria, report immediately to NAPTIP via their toll-free line: 627 (Nigerian only). Your tip could save a child from forced labour, abuse, or worse.