The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Zamfara State Command, has presented a suspect arrested for alleged child trafficking, alongside others linked to different criminal activities, at its Operational Headquarters in Gusau.
The Command described the child trafficking case as a serious offence that poses grave threats to human rights and public safety.
The Command Public Relations Officer, ASC I Umar Mohammed Mansur, disclosed that the child trafficking suspect, Jerry Peter, a 31-year-old man from Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, was arrested on January 24, 2026, around 10:00 pm at the Gusau Lalan area. He was found with five children between the ages of eight and 13, whose identities and guardianship he could not satisfactorily explain.
Investigations revealed that the children, said to be indigenes of Zuru local government area of Kebbi state and Dakkarawa by tribe, were allegedly being moved through Kaduna and Benue states to Benin City, Edo State.
The suspect reportedly admitted that he was transporting the children to deliver them to a woman known as “Mommy Bishop” through Reverend James Joshua of the Assembly of God Church in Benin City. Following this development, the State Commandant, Commandant Sani Mustafa, ordered that the suspect and the rescued children be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further action.
In addition to the trafficking case, the NSCDC paraded suspects arrested for illegal dealings in petroleum products. Mansur stated that 16 individuals were apprehended between January 21 and January 23, 2026, for allegedly engaging in the unlawful purchase and transportation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in different parts of the state.
Some of the suspects identified include Ibrahim Bala, Abdullah Ibrahim, Sheikhu Yusuf, Nazir Umar, Shamsuddin Lawal, Sani Umaru, Abdul Muminu Dama, Nuhu Rabiu Mamman, Nasiru Alhaji Hamza, Shafi’u Lauwali, Rabi’u Saidu and five others. The petroleum products were reportedly obtained from Anka, Bakura, Gummi, Kauran Namoda and Talata Mafara local government areas.
Recovered exhibits included 62 jerrycans, each with a capacity of 30 litres, containing about 1,400 litres of PMS valued at over ₦1.27 million and 390 litres of AGO worth ₦741,000. The total value of the seized petroleum products was placed at ₦2,019,900.
The NSCDC said the products were acquired at odd hours and without the necessary licences and approvals.
The parade also featured suspects arrested for public disturbance, traffic violations and motorcycle theft. Three young men were arrested within Gusau on January 25, 2026, for allegedly causing public nuisance and reckless conduct, while two others were apprehended earlier in the month in possession of a suspected stolen motorcycle, with investigations pointing to a possible cross-border theft network.
Mansur emphasized that investigations into all the cases are still ongoing and assured that suspects would be charged to court once inquiries are concluded. He cautioned residents against engaging in criminal acts and called on the public to support security agencies in sustaining peace and security across Zamfara State.
