NAPTIP Rescued 285, Arrested 22 Human Traffickers In 2024 – Kano Commander
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Kano Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it rescued 285 victims and apprehended 22 human traffickers in 2024.
The Zonal Commander, Mr Abdullahi Babale, made this known on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano.
According to Babale, the 285 rescued victims comprised 78 males, 97 females, and 110 children (64 boys and 46 girls), aged between seven and 42.
“Out of the 285 victims, 53 are victims of trafficking in persons, while 232 are survivors of sexual abuse, and gender-based violence among others”, Babake said, adding that the victims were counselled and rehabilitated before being reunited with their families. Fifty-two of the rehabilitated victims were given empowerment kits.
Of the 22 arrested suspects, Babale said eight were males and 14 were females.
He noted that the command received 211 cases during the period under review, which involved both external and internal human trafficking, and explained that the cases included child abuse, child labour, sexual abuse, and other cases under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.
Babale said the command also secured 15 convictions including one foreign national, while those convicted for various offences comprised 13 males and two females.
He further disclosed that the command carried out 88 sensitization/enlightenment programmes through radio and television, schools, communities, faith-based organizations, markets, workshops/training sessions, and advocacy visits, highlighting the dangers of human trafficking and other forms of abuse.
“We successfully profiled 720 migrant returnees from the Niger Republic, who travelled out of the country in search of greener pasture during the period reviewed,” he said.
Babale called for the collaboration of all stakeholders to fight human trafficking, and cautioned Nigerians against embarking on overseas journeys in the name of searching for greener pastures.
While also calling on parents to protect their children from being exploited and lured into slavery, Babale also urged the public to report suspicious cases of human traffickers and trafficking in their respective communities.
(NAN)
