Kano police bursts human trafficking syndicate, rescue 12 victims

The Kano Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has successfully rescued 12 people from human trafficking after police bursted a human trafficking syndicate in the state. 

This information was presented by Zonal Commander Abdullahi Babale on Tuesday, at a reception for the victims in Kano.

Babale stated that the victims were rescued due to the efforts of the Kano State Police Command.

Babale also stated that the police seized three people in connection with the trafficking case: Shafi'u Salisu, 25, of Bachirawa Quarters in Kano; Rebecca Adebayo, 22, of Kwara State; and Mujibat Olagoke, 27, of Oyo State.

He underlined that the rescued victims were all female and ranged in age from 15 to 40 years.

"The victims were rescued on August 3, at about 4:15 p.m. along Tsanyawa Federal High Way, Kano by a team of policemen attached to Tsanyawa Division, on their way to Libya for labour exploitation.

“The 12 rescued victims are from Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, and Imo States,” he confirmed.

The zone commander thanked the Commissioner of Police for Kano State, Salman Dogo-Garba, for his cooperation. He stated that the accused would face charges in court once the inquiry was completed.

The victims will be counselled and rehabilitated before reuniting them with their families,” Babale assured, urging parents to protect their children from being exploited and lured into slavery in the name of seeking greener pastures.

He also urged the people to report any suspected incidents of human traffickers or trafficking in their areas to the proper authorities for swift action.

Meanwhile, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, disclosed that 115 suspected human traffickers had been arrested and 75 victims rescued in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Rivers States, respectively.

Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Emmanuel Awhen, made the disclosure in Uyo on Tuesday.

Awhen said, “Between July 2023 and now, we’ve apprehended 115 human traffickers within the zone and rescued about 75 victims.

“Out of the 75 victims rescued, we have empowered 25 of them with skills in tailoring, hairdressing, barbing, and shoemaking.

“Most of the victims rescued are kept in our shelter, and we’ve counselled, empowered, and reunited them with their families,” the NAPTIP commander said.

Speaking further he revealed that, the Agency charged 15 cases to court and secured three convictions, while 12 cases are still pending.

The zonal commander appealed to judges to give special attention to human trafficking cases to serve as a deterrent to other traffickers.