By Henry Uche
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 21 children of Kaduna State origin on their way from Zaria and Kaduna state to Nassarawa State for labour exploitation.
A statement delivered yesterday by the Head, Press and Public Relations Unit of the agency, Stella Nezan, revealed that the children whose age ranges from 6- 15 years were intercepted at the Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by military personnel at a military check point.
Acccording to the statement, the children were cramped in a white coloured old J5 vehicle with registration number Lagos XT 472 GGE without windows. The vehicle according to the suspect is used for carrying tomatoes, and by the time the children were rescued, they were weak and tired without face masks and other Protection equipment against Covid-19.
“The driver of the vehicle, Bala Ibrahim, who is the prime suspect is being interrogated by the investigators. The Director-General of NAPTIP, Imaan Suleiman Ibrahim, has advised parents to be weary of those they leave their children with especially with the menace of trafficking in persons across the world,” the statement read.
NAPTIP boss wondered why anybody would allow the children to be moved in such an inhumane condition especially under the Covid-19 pandemic era. She pledged that the law will take its course on this matter.
