192 children abused and trafficked in Niger within eight months

The Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency has reported 192 cases of child abuse and rights violations from November 2025 to June 2026.

These cases involve rape, maltreatment, trafficking, forced marriage, abandonment, and denial of child support.

Ummul Mohammed, the director-general of the agency, shared this information in Minna. She mentioned that these incidents occurred in various parts of the state even with the agency facing operational challenges.

Ms Mohammed, who started her role in November 2025, said the agency recorded 30 cases in November, 31 in February, 30 in March, 40 in April, 27 in May, and 30 in June.

The cases included sexual abuse, missing children, child trafficking, domestic servitude, street hawking, forced marriage, and children taken away under the guise of Islamic education.

She noted that the agency recently rescued 19 children working in mining sites, with the youngest being about eight years old.

Their parents had to sign bonds of N5 million per child to stop them from sending the children back to mining work.

The agency also rescued children believed to be trafficked for domestic work and helped return a missing child to her family outside the state.

Recent cases highlight growing concern

This news comes as several cases involving children have been reported in Niger State.

In July 2026, the Niger State Police Command rescued nine children, aged seven to 13, suspected of being trafficking victims. They arrested two suspects during separate operations.

The police stated that six girls were stopped along the Madalla-Suleja road while allegedly being transported for trafficking.

In June, police also rescued four children aged four to seven in Suleja and arrested two suspected child traffickers.

In June 2026, a senior magistrate’s court in Minna sentenced four men to a total of 95 years in prison for gang-raping a 13-year-old girl in Kontagora, which led to her pregnancy.

Earlier, in January 2024, a 55-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl in Rafi Local Government Area.

The state is also facing a larger problem of gender-based violence. The Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs reported over 1,000 cases of rape and gender-based violence from January to July 2025, including the reported rape of a nine-year-old girl by her father.

Agency seeks stronger community action

Ms Mohammed said that child abuse continues, partly due to poverty and lack of awareness. She explained that some parents send their children away as domestic workers because they cannot afford to care for them.

She mentioned that the agency is increasing awareness in schools and communities. She urged teachers, traditional leaders, parents, and others to report suspected abuse.

The director-general also said the agency has removed fees for filing complaints. Victims and complainants can now report cases without paying.

However, she pointed out that lack of vehicles and logistics makes it hard to reach vulnerable children and communities across the state.

Ms Mohammed said several rape and attempted rape cases are in court. She promised that the agency will continue to push for prosecution against anyone who violates children’s rights.

She called for better cooperation among government agencies, traditional institutions, local councils, civil society organizations, and communities to protect children in Niger State.