(By Tunde Omolehin – SOKOTO)
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person and other Related Offences (NAPTIP), in Sokoto State, reported that it arrested no fewer than 54 suspects for human trafficking last year.
This was contained in a statement signed by the zonal commandant, Barrister Hassan Tahir, a copy made available to Journalists in the northwestern Nigerian state.
He explained that 38 of the suspects were male, while the remaining were female.
Tahir also recounts that about 111 victims of human trafficking were rescued by the agency, adding that a total of 20 cases of child abuse and five cases of sexual exploitation was recorded.
He added that 10 cases of child abduction were recorded in the year under review while no fewer than 24 children were reported missing.
Tahir cautioned parents against sending their underage children to cities where they become not just vulnerable to exploitation.
According to him, such children from poor backgrounds become subject to all forms of exploitation like street begging, child labour and sexual abuse among others.