RismadarVoice Reporters
January 18, 2026
Nasarawa State Police Command has rescued 17 suspected victims of human trafficking in Karu Local Government Area of the state.
The rescue was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, made available to journalists in Lafia.
According to the statement, the victims were rescued on January 17, 2026, at about 5:50p.m., when patrol officers attached to Mararaba ‘A’ Police Division, while on stop-and-search duty at Sharp Corner, intercepted a white Volkswagen Sharon vehicle with registration number SHD 253 YU.
The vehicle, driven by Nanle John, a 36-year-old man, had 17 passengers on board, comprising 11 boys and six girls, aged between 10 and 19 years.
“Upon interrogation, the occupants were suspected to be victims of human trafficking,” the statement said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the driver and passengers claimed they were travelling from Shendam, Plateau State, to Kayama, Kwara State, to meet one Umaru (surname unknown), who allegedly promised to secure farming jobs for them.
The police said efforts to contact the parents or guardians of the young persons, as well as the said Umaru, were unsuccessful, as all phone numbers provided were unreachable.
Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, ordered that the rescued persons be taken into protective custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Lafia, and directed a comprehensive investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident and apprehend all those involved in the suspected trafficking network.
The rescued persons were identified 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).
DSP Nansel said the Commissioner of Police reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons and combating human trafficking in the state, while urging members of the public to report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.
