NAPTIP denies abducting children, clarifies operation at Asaba orphanage
David Ezeugoh, in Abuja –
The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, has dismissed claims that the agency abducted eight children from Happy Home Orphanage in Asaba, Delta State.
Bello said the operation was a lawful rescue following years of petitions from parents in Kano and neighbouring states about missing children. She maintained that the eight minors were victims of a child trafficking ring spanning Kano, Delta, and Gombe states.
According to NAPTIP, investigations revealed that traffickers sold each child for about N450,000 to the orphanage. On June 15, 2025, operatives accompanied by police and parents’ representatives visited the facility and profiled over 70 children, with eight positively identified as missing children from Kano.
The rescued children have been moved to a secure facility in Abuja pending DNA tests and further investigations. Bello warned that anyone found guilty in the trafficking network will be prosecuted.
The operation has attracted criticism on social media, with viral videos showing women claiming to be mothers of the children and demanding DNA verification.
