The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Kebbi State office, has reunited 9 out of the 19 children rescued from Calaba, Cross River State last year with their families.
Speaking while handing the 9 children with their parents to Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, the State Commander of NAPTIP, Musbau Iya Kaura, said the children were rescued by the anti persons trafficking agency from syndicates that specialized in child trafficking in Calabar after they were taken from southern part of Kebbi State.
He told the Governor that, six persons including a female lecturer in Calabar higher institution have been arrested in connection with the abduction of the children and are currently facing prosecution.
The Commander said, the Calabar syndicates paid between N280,000 and N450,000 per child to their collaborators in Kebbi.
According to him, the Kebbi abductors lied to parents of the children that they were being taken to Gusau in Zamfara State for education only to move the children to Calabar in Cross River State to change their names and sold them out to people that use them for different purposes.
“When they were arrested, during investigation, they claimed their church gave them the permission to take the children to their branch in Calabar but the church leadership had debunked their claim saying they are not aware of such deal”.
Responding, Governor Nasir Idris said, the state government would not tolerate any of such act of child trafficking in the state and therefore warned parents who neglect their children would be prosecute alongside the abductors.
Governor Idris, promised that his administration will always give necessary support to NAPTIP to enhance its activities against child trafficking in the state.
COV /Abdullahi Tukur
