Eleven victims of human trafficking have been handed over by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to the Ringim Local Government Council of Jigawa State.
Speaking during the handover in Dutse on Sunday, the NAPTIP State Commander, Mr Abdulkadir Turajo, said the victims were rescued in Lokoja, Kogi State, by operatives of the agency.
Turajo, who was represented by the command’s Head of Operations, Mr Yunusa Mohammed, said all the victims are male, aged between seven and 15, and originate from Tsaba, Kunkurawa and Tsabare villages in Ringim Local Government Area.
According to him, the handover was coordinated by the Jigawa State Ministry for Local Government and Community Development.
He expressed appreciation to the Ringim council and the ministry for their prompt cooperation, which facilitated the swift reunification of the children with their families. Turajo also restated NAPTIP’s resolve to tackle human trafficking through identification, rescue and reintegration of victims across the country.
Receiving the victims, the Chairman of Ringim Local Government Council, Mr Badamasi Garba, commended NAPTIP for rescuing the children. Speaking through the council’s Director of Personnel Management, Alhaji Idana Isah, Garba assured that the council would prioritise the rehabilitation of the victims and take steps to prevent a recurrence.
