Ramatu Garba
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Kano, says it has received six rescued street children in the state.
The agency also reunited four rescued victims of child trafficking with their families.
The Kano Zonal Commander of the agency Abdullahi Babale stated this in Kano.
According to him, a good samaritan, Alhaji Kabir Abdulhamid, rescued the children along Zoo road in Kano metropolis, and handed them over to the agency on Sept. 24.
Babale said the children aged between 7 and 9 are males, adding that, “four are from Katsina, one from Azare in Bauchi State and one from Niger Republic”.
The zonal commander pointed out that preliminary investigations revealed that the children had been sleeping on the streets for more than a year, catering for themselves since they have no relatives in Kano.
Babale highlighted that the agency provided new clothes, bags, shoes, food and shelter to the children before transporting them to Katsina and Bauchi, to reunite them with their families.
He hinted that the agency also received four rescued victims of child trafficking and arrested one suspect in connection with the crime.
He said operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) rescued the victims aged between 10 and 13.
“The suspect brought the victims to Kano from Zaria with intention to sell them.
“The victims have since been reunited with their families,” he said, adding that the suspect would soon be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
While advising parents and guardians to monitor their wards, Babale urged residents of the state to report suspicious cases of human trafficking to the agency.
“I am appealing to the public that the fight against human trafficking should not be left to NAPTIP alone. We need the support and cooperation so that together we can fight the crime.
“NAPTIP will always remain committed towards the prevention of all forms of exploitation against children, women and liberating vulnerable in the communities towards ensuring a safer and better society”.
NAN