“What we are witnessing is a mirror of what our society has become,” he said, attributing the crisis to poverty, insecurity, broken homes, and irresponsible parenting.
— Justice, Hon. Barr. Philemon Daffi
From Azi Nukpis, Jos
Once celebrated as the Tin City and the Home of Peace and Tourism, Jos and other parts of Plateau State are increasingly becoming havens for criminal syndicates pushing children and teenagers into prostitution and human trafficking.
What was once perceived as a distant social menace has now crept dangerously into the heart of Plateau communities.
Today, child prostitution and trafficking have evolved into lucrative criminal enterprises operated by merchants of human misery, preying on vulnerable families and minors. Child prostitution—defined as the commercial sexual exploitation of persons below the legal age of consent—is illegal and completely alien to Plateau State’s cultural values and moral heritage.
Yet, this disturbing practice is now rearing its ugly head across the state. In a proactive response, the Plateau State Government, through the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission (PLASGEOC), has rescued and repatriated several Plateau children trafficked to other parts of the country.
Among those rescued were 16 children from Anambra State and 39 from Abuja, all of whom were reunited with their families. Security agencies have also intensified operations against trafficking syndicates. On December 2, 2024, operatives of the Nigerian Police Force dismantled a trafficking ring in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area, rescuing five children aged between two and five years.
A self-styled cleric, Pastor Dayo Bernard of End Time Ministry, alongside his accomplices, was arrested. Investigations revealed that he allegedly deceived parents in Kwande, Quan’Pan LGA, promising to sponsor their children’s education through a fraudulent NGO.
More recently, on December 30, 2025, the Plateau State Government, in collaboration with security agencies, carried out coordinated raids on brothels and hotels in Bukuru, rescuing several minors. The victims included girls aged 11 to 17 years, persons living with disabilities (deaf and dumb), a breastfeeding mother, and a pregnant woman.
The operation was conducted by the Plateau State Task Force on Human Trafficking, comprising the Ministry of Justice, NAPTIP, NDLEA, NSCDC, Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Police Force. Chairman of the Task Force and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Barr. Philemon Daffi, described the situation as a painful indictment of society.
“What we are witnessing is a mirror of what our society has become,” he said, attributing the crisis to poverty, insecurity, broken homes, and irresponsible parenting.
These disturbing developments signal an alarming new normal that threatens Plateau State’s moral fabric. To reverse this trend, collective responsibility is imperative.
Stakeholders have called on the National Industrial Court, which has jurisdiction over cases of child trafficking and abuse, to decisively prosecute offenders to restore the state’s lost glory and deter future crimes.
