No fewer than 184 persons have been arrested by the Plateau State Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce following coordinated overnight raids across Jos metropolis and surrounding communities. Several minors and vulnerable individuals were also rescued during the operation.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing journalists at the Ministry of Justice in Jos. He described the operation as a major breakthrough in the state’s intensified campaign against human trafficking and child exploitation.
Daffi explained that the intelligence-led operation was carried out simultaneously at multiple locations late Thursday night and extended into the early hours of Friday. He said the exercise led to the arrest of suspected traffickers and the rescue of victims allegedly held under exploitative conditions.
According to him, those arrested include three pregnant women, seven female minors, 41 adult females, nine male minors, and 123 adult males. He added that all suspects are currently undergoing profiling, after which those found culpable will be prosecuted in line with the law.
The commissioner said the operation was the outcome of months of strategic planning, training, and data-driven intelligence gathering, which enabled the taskforce to close gaps previously exploited by trafficking syndicates.
He condemned child prostitution in strong terms, describing it as modern-day slavery and a grave violation of the Child’s Rights Law. He stressed that cases involving minors would no longer be treated as social misdemeanours or acts of vagrancy.
Daffi also warned adults who patronise minors, describing them as predators who fuel the cycle of abuse. He vowed that offenders would face strict prosecution without the option of fines or lenient penalties.
As part of tougher enforcement measures, he announced the immediate implementation of a ‘seal, seize, and demolish’ policy against properties and facilities linked to human trafficking and child exploitation. He said any establishment found harbouring minors for profit would be sealed, its assets confiscated, and structures used for such crimes demolished where necessary.
The Attorney-General further raised concerns about family complicity, warning that parents or guardians who traffic their children or expose them to exploitation would be prosecuted. He emphasised that poverty would not be accepted as justification for endangering minors.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustaining the crackdown, noting that capacity building, improved infrastructure, and victim rehabilitation programmes are being strengthened to ensure lasting impact.
Daffi concluded by declaring that the era of impunity for traffickers in Plateau State was over, assuring residents that the taskforce would continue its operations until trafficking networks are completely dismantled.
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