The Nasarawa State Police Command has rescued 17 suspected victims of human trafficking during a stop-and-search operation in Karu Local Government Area of the state.
The victims, made up of 11 boys and six girls aged between 10 and 19 years, were intercepted on Friday, January 17, 2026, at Sharp Corner in Mararaba by patrol officers attached to the Mararaba ‘A’ Division.
Confirming the development in a statement released to journalists on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Ramhan Nansel, said the victims were travelling in a white Volkswagen Sharon vehicle with registration number SHD 253 YU.
According to the police spokesperson, the vehicle was driven by a 36-year-old man identified as Nanle John, who was conveying the minors from Shendam in Plateau State to Kayama in Kwara State.
“Upon interrogation, the occupants were suspected to be victims of human trafficking,” Nansel stated, adding that preliminary findings showed they were allegedly lured with promises of farming jobs by one Umaru, whose surname is yet to be identified.
He explained that efforts to reach the parents or guardians of the victims, as well as the said Umaru, were unsuccessful as all the phone numbers provided were unreachable.
Nansel also stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, had ordered that the rescued children be taken into protective custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia.
“The Commissioner of Police has directed a thorough investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and apprehend all those connected to this suspected human trafficking network,” the statement read.
The police identified the rescued victims as:
Nanpar Zwaltur (19), Monday Zinglak (14), Ramnap Selchum (18), Nankat Ayuba (18), Burnan Yilkur (19), Timnan Ponfa (19), Nantip Nanbut (19), Kumlyan Nanbut (17), Zwalkur Zingdap (15), Nanfar Zwalkur (11), Nanpar Nanbut (14), Nanchu Bwoi (13), Godiya Lagang (10), Yulbyen Zingdap (10), Nanna Chirvyok (12), Sholyen Rapkat (10), and Ladi Dinfa (12).
The police command reiterated its commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and eradicating human trafficking in the state, while urging members of the public to report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.
Police rescue 17 suspected human trafficking victims in Nasarawa
