NAPTIP officials described the case as particularly disturbing because the perpetrators exploited their positions of trust within their own community, trafficking vulnerable children including their own for personal gain.
By TheInvestigator
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Cross River State Command, has secured the conviction of two men for trafficking eight children, including their own, for exploitation in a case described as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against human trafficking in Nigeria.
On Monday, March 23, 2026, the Federal High Court in Calabar, presided over by Hon Justice L I Ojukwu, found Mabum Joseph Arisha and Mutashu Victor Mabum, both residents of Mfom 1 Village in Ogoja Local Government Area of Cross River State, guilty on all 17 counts of child trafficking.
The convicts were charged under Sections 13(2)(b), 13(4)(c), 21, and 27 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act (TIPPEA), 2015, for recruiting and handing over the eight children from their village to one Ada Eze (still at large) for exploitation. Some of the victims were the biological children of the convicts, while others belonged to their neighbours.
The charge, containing 17 counts, was filed on August 16, 2024. The duo was arraigned on October 17, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to all counts. After a full trial, the court convicted them on every count.
Sentencing
Justice Ojukwu handed down stiff sentences.
Mabum Joseph Arisha (1st convict) was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and a fine of ₦2,000,000 (Two Million Naira) on each of counts 1 through 11. The terms of imprisonment are to run concurrently, effective from the date of judgment.
Mutashu Victor Mabum (2nd convict) received 12 years imprisonment and a fine of ₦2,000,000 on each of counts 12 through 17, also to run concurrently from the date of judgment.
In addition, the court ordered that one of the rescued victims, Favour Arisha, who was recovered by NAPTIP from Lagos State, was placed in the temporary custody of the Cross River State Government through the Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development. She will remain there until she can be handed over to a responsible family member who provides a satisfactory undertaking to care for her properly.
The judgment underscores NAPTIP’s renewed push against human traffickers in 2026, following 93 convictions secured nationwide in 2025.
NAPTIP officials described the case as particularly disturbing because the perpetrators exploited their positions of trust within their own community, trafficking vulnerable children including their own for personal gain.
The agency reiterated its commitment to protecting Nigerian children and warned that anyone involved in human trafficking will face the full wrath of the law.
The photographs of the convicts, as released by NAPTIP, show the two men in court following their conviction.
This latest success by the Cross River Command of NAPTIP highlights the agency’s determination to dismantle trafficking networks operating in rural communities across the state.