21 underage children rescued in Kogi by NSCDC

Kogi State NSCDC operatives have intercepted a truck conveying 21 underage children, aged between six and 17, who were trafficked into the state to allegedly be recruited into banditry.
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‎The interception was carried out by the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in collaboration with community hunters in Isanlu area of Yagba LGA, occurred on December 5, 2025.
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‎The operation was launched based on information received from local community hunters regarding the suspicious movement of the minors.
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‎Several suspects linked to the operation have been arrested. Some individuals claimed they were transporting the children to establish an informal Islamic school within Yagba East, but this claim has countlessly been countered by the people from that region.
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‎Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, stated that the suspects could not provide legitimate justification for the movement of the children. Some of the suspects were found with items that raised serious security concerns.
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‎The children have been transferred to the NSCDC State Command in Lokoja for detailed profiling. The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has been directed to take full custody, ensure their wellbeing, and provide necessary psychosocial support, before handed over to their respective state governments for investigation and reintegration with their families.
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