Agency rescues 3,100 human trafficking victims in 5 states

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Kano zonal command, said it had rescued over 3,100 victims of human trafficking including 11 pregnant girls.

Mr Aliyu Khalil, the Head of Public Enlightenment NAPTIP Kano Zonal office, disclosed this during a sensitisation lecture on human trafficking at the Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil on Friday.

Khalil said that the rescue was made between 2005 and 2015 in the five states under the zone which include Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa and Bauchi.

NAN reports that the lecture was organised by NAPTIP in collaboration with an NGO, Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA).

According to him, no fewer than 11 girls among the rescued persons were found to be pregnant.

"The girls were found to be pregnant during screening and were given all the necessary support and assistance to deliver at our temporary shelter,’" he said.

Khalil disclosed that the agency had also trained most of the victims in various skills such as knitting and tailoring, among others, before reuniting them with their parents.

In his remark, the Executive Director of PRAWA, Mr Yinka Lawal called on stakeholders to take the campaign seriously in view of its negative effect on the society.

He said the sensitisation programme was conducted in nine secondary schools under the first phase while the second phase would target tertiary institutions.

Also in his remark, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Shehu Alhaji, represented by his deputy, Dr Abdulhadi Aminu commended NAPTIP and PRAWA for initiating the programme.