The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Birnin Kebbi has successfully rescued 19 children who were trafficked from the Zuru area of Kebbi State to Calabar, Cross River State. The children were presented to Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, with 9 of them having been screened and linked with their parents.
The NAPTIP State Commander, Musbau Iya Kaura, revealed that the children were rescued from trafficking syndicates operating in Calabar, and that six individuals, including a female lecturer, have been arrested and arraigned in connection with the crime. The traffickers had paid between N280,000 and N450,000 per child to their collaborators in Kebbi.
The traffickers had falsely told the parents that their children were being taken to Gusau, Zamfara State, for educational purposes but instead transported them to Calabar, where the children were renamed and sold for exploitation.
Governor Idris condemned child trafficking and warned parents who neglect their children that they would face prosecution alongside the traffickers. He also assured the public that his administration would provide necessary support to NAPTIP in its efforts to combat child trafficking in the state.