The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested two women and rescued three teenage girls in what authorities describe as a suspected child trafficking operation disguised as a job offer.

According to the command, operatives of the State Intelligence Department intercepted the girls at the Adamawa Sunshine Motor Park in Yola as they were about to embark on a journey allegedly arranged by the suspects. The teenagers were identified as 14-year-old Naomi Linus, 16-year-old Agnes Thomas, and 15-year-old Patience Justine.

Police investigations indicate that the girls were allegedly lured from their communities with promises of domestic work and better opportunities in Abuja. Officers said the circumstances surrounding their movement, the lack of proper documentation, and the nature of the promises made to them closely mirror known patterns of child trafficking and exploitation.

Police spokesperson SP Suleiman Nguroje named the arrested suspects as 35-year-old Hasiya Yuguda of the NEPA area in Jimeta, Yola North, and 40-year-old Ummulkhairi Abubakar of Wuro-Hausa in Yola South. He added that another individual, 38-year-old Simon Boniface from Bitakoyali in Zing Local Government Area of Taraba State, has also been implicated and is assisting investigators.

Nguroje explained that the rescued girls are currently in protective custody while efforts are underway to locate their families and ensure their safe return. He noted that detectives are probing whether the suspects are part of a broader trafficking ring that targets vulnerable minors under the guise of securing them employment.

State Commissioner of Police, Dankombo Morris, condemned the incident and reaffirmed the command’s zero tolerance for child trafficking, forced labour, and all forms of abuse involving minors. He warned that anyone found to be recruiting, transporting, or harbouring children for exploitative purposes would face the full weight of the law.

Morris urged parents and guardians to exercise extreme caution when approached with offers of jobs or travel for their children, stressing the importance of verifying the identities, locations, and legitimacy of such arrangements. He also called on community leaders, transport operators, and the public to promptly report suspicious movements of minors to security agencies.

The police command said the investigation is ongoing and that the suspects will be charged in court upon conclusion of inquiries.