Security Foils Suspected Bandit Recruitment as Truck Carrying 21 Underage Children Is Intercepted in Kogi
Security operatives in Kogi State have intercepted a truck conveying 21 children into the state in what authorities believe was a covert attempt to recruit them for criminal and banditry activities.
The interception was confirmed by the Kogi State Government in a statement issued in the early hours of Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo.
According to the statement, operatives of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps attached to the Yagba Area Command acted on credible intelligence provided by community hunters. The operation, carried out at about 3 p.m. on December 5, 2025, was conducted in collaboration with other security agencies in Isanlu, Yagba East Local Government Area.
Fanwo said the truck was found conveying 21 children aged between six and 17 years, who were reportedly brought into Kogi State from different northern states under suspicious circumstances.
“Initial investigations revealed that the children were moved by adults who could not provide any legitimate or verifiable explanation for their movement,” he said.
Several suspects linked to the trafficking operation were arrested. Some of them claimed they were transporting the children to establish an informal Islamic school within Yagba East, an explanation the state government said raised serious security concerns.
As surveillance in the area was intensified, additional persons allegedly connected to the movement of the children were also apprehended. Fanwo disclosed that some of the suspects were found in possession of items considered to pose significant security risks.
The rescued children have been transferred to the NSCDC State Command headquarters in Lokoja for detailed investigation and profiling of all individuals involved.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to take full custody of the children, ensure their safety, and provide psychosocial support pending the conclusion of investigations.
Upon completion of profiling and verification, Fanwo said the children would be handed over to their respective state governments for further investigation and reintegration with their families.
The Kogi State Government reaffirmed its zero tolerance for child trafficking, criminal infiltration, and all forms of security threats, warning that all those found culpable would be prosecuted in line with the state’s child rights and anti-trafficking laws.
