Binta Bello, director-general (DG) of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), says Benue has the highest number of human trafficking cases in the country.
Bello spoke on Wednesday in Makurdi, the capital of Benue,
during a two-day workshop for school principals under the school
anti-trafficking education and advocacy project (STEAP).
Represented by Josiah Emerole, the agency’s director of
intelligence, the NAPTIP DG said Edo previously topped the list but was
recently overtaken by Benue based on the number of rescued victims and arrested
suspects.
“Insecurity has increased vulnerability in the state.
Parents are killed, leaving their children scattered and sold out,” Bello said.
“Some are taken to other states to work in quarries while
those who took them collect the money.”
The NAPTIP DG said the agency is targeting schoolchildren
with awareness campaigns to help them identify trafficking red flags.
She added that anti-trafficking clubs have been inaugurated in 10 schools out of the 50 earmarked for the STEAP project.
Bello added that the workshop was aimed at equipping school
principals with basic tools to understand the dangers of human trafficking and
to pass the knowledge to their students and communities.
Emmanuel Zakaa, principal of Tilley Gyado College, Makurdi,
commended the initiative, describing it as “an eye-opener” for school leaders.
“It has helped my students to understand the dangers of
human trafficking,” Zakaa said.
“Principals can now better guide children not to hastily
accept job offers from strangers or relatives.”
The programme was organised in collaboration with the
International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD).
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