Child Trafficking in Imo State: The Hidden Danger Behind False Promises

 

Okparaku Josephine

A child is supposed to be protected, cared for, and given the opportunity to grow, learn, and build a future. But for some children in Imo State, this is not their reality. Trafficking does not always involve strangers kidnapping children. Sometimes, children are taken by people they know or people who pretend to want to help them.

In 2025 alone, the Imo State Police Command rescued 12 children between the ages of 5 and 13 who were allegedly being trafficked from Ngor-Okpala to Aba and forced into street begging.

In Imo State, child trafficking happens in different ways. Some families as a result of poverty and economic hardship allow their children to go stay with relatives, who they trust to give their children the best care, but in turn these children are brought to the city to undergo child labor, sex exploitation and other forms of child abuse.

Teenage girls are particularly vulnerable to trafficking. Some are promised jobs, education or better lives but later find themselves being exploited.

In 2023, five pregnant teenagers between the ages of 15 and 17 were rescued in Imo in a case linked to an alleged baby factory. Cases like this show how children can be taken advantage of when they are in difficult situations.

Onyinyechi, a 12-year-old girl from Isiala Mbano, staying with her mom and two siblings, was promised a better life by her aunt who resides in Libya.

Onyinye’s mother testified in Church of how God has shown her and her family mercy and her daughter is travelling abroad, what she failed to do was find out what Libya is and what happens in Libya.

Onyinyechi was among the girls rescued in Libya and brought back to the state in 2025, her life messed up and her dreams shattered by someone she calls family.
Some child trafficking cases happen because parents make promises to the heart without making efforts to verify.

These traffickers know these loopholes, and that is why they target underserved communities to carry out their mayhem. They target children of suffering households, promise them a better life, knowing their parents won’t be able to resist.

Onyenyechi’s story shows us that poverty, lack of education, unemployment and broken family situations can make children more vulnerable. Some parents may also trust people who promise to provide better opportunities for their children. But a promise of a job or a better life should never mean losing contact with a child or allowing someone else to control the child.

Parents should be careful about sending their children away with people they do not know well. They should know where their children are staying, who they are staying with, and what kind of work they are doing.

Communities should also speak up when they notice children being exploited, forced to beg or being moved around under suspicious circumstances.

Child trafficking is not just a problem for parents. It is a problem that concerns the government, communities, and everyone who cares about the safety of children.

Every child deserves to grow up safely, receive an education, and have the chance to build a better future. By staying informed, reporting suspicious activities and protecting vulnerable children, we can help reduce child trafficking in Imo State.