NAPTIP arrests 28 traffickers, rescues 69 victims in Edo, others

The Edo State Commander, Benin Zonal office of the National Agency for the Protection of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Bar. Nduka Nwanene, on Thursday, disclosed that the agency has arrested 28 traffickers and rescued 69 victims in Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states between January and July this year.

Nwanene disclosed this in Benin while speaking with newsmen during the 2022 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with the theme ‘Use and Abuse of Technology”, celebrated globally on July 30.

“Between January and July 28, we arrested 28 traffickers, rescued 69 victims and rehabilitated 15. We also recorded 110 reported cases of human trafficking in Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states under the zone”

He said that within the period, the agency also secured the conviction of four persons while 57 cases are ongoing in various courts.

Nduka lamented that traffickers are using technology now to recruit victims online through dating sites, social media platforms, fake advertisements, fake scholarships and non-existing football clubs among others.

He said despite the negative effect, technology has also given the victims and the public the opportunity to report cases of human trafficking, easy identification of victims and assist in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers among others.

Nwanene further disclosed that internal trafficking (state and inter-state) is on the high side in Nigeria compared to external trafficking.

He said that publicity is more on external trafficking (international).

“80 percent of trafficking in Nigeria are state and inter-states while about 20 per cent are international (country to country). This inter-state trafficking affects our homes, communities and neighbourhood and all hands must be on deck to address the scourge,” he said.

He said in addressing the scourge of online trafficking, NAPTIP has partnered with Facebook and National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to enhance the tracing and investigation of cases relating to online child abuse, human trafficking and other related crimes.

He said due to the increase in state and inter-state trafficking, buying and selling of children and cryptic pregnancies, NAPTIP is partnering with Facebook and NCMEC to set up Amber alert Nigeria whereby Facebook set alerts to the targeted Facebook community to help find missing children in Nigeria.