The national Agency for the Prohibition of Traffickig in Persons (NAPTIP) said it rescued 90 victims and reunited 85 others with their families between May and December last year in Akwa Ibom State. The agency's Zonal Commander in Uyo. Mr Ubong Ekwere, disclosed this in chat with reporters in Uyo yesterday while reviewing last year's activities of the agency. Ekwere said during the period under review, the command recieved and investigated 93 cases and apprehended 103 suspects in the human trafficking, adding that 19 cases were still penging in courts. the commander noted that the new trend of human trafficking was the selling and buying children,where buyers warn parent and guardians to be vigilant and to monitor where their children and wards were at any point in time. The zonal commander also appeal to state governments to include NAPTIP in their security meetings to enchance information sharing. Also, the agency and department of State Service said a Burudian woman and her children in a village in Imo, have been rescued. Adekoye added that the victims were rescue based on a complaint from the United Nations (UN) High Commission for Refugees lodged at NAPTIP Headquaters. He stated that "it was gathered that the victims who have refugee status in Kenya were trafficketed to Lagos by a yet-to-be- identified trafficker in September2021, and thereafter moved to Umunoha Imo State. Adekoye also quoted NAPTP's Commandant in Imo State, "the account of the State. Mr Ernest Ogbu, as sayng "the account of the victims indicated that they might have been deceived by the traffickers."
Index to Nigerian Newspapers
