Nineteen children trafficked from Kebbi State have been rescued from traffickers in Calabar, Cross River State.
The children, whose ages range from 3 to 6 years, were being moved in batches from Kebbi to Calabar when officials of the National Agency for the Prohibiting of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) intercepted some of them.
Addressing journalists at the chambers of the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, Governor Nasiru Idris said the children were rescued as one of the traffickers arrested by officials of NAPTIP confessed they had earlier moved some of the children to Calabar.
He added that based on the information, the other children were rescued from the traffickers in Calabar and three of the suspects were arrested.
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“The traffickers moved the children to Calabar under the guise of education, some of them have been sexually abused and subjected to other heinous activities,” he said.
The governor said the government would help the children out of their traumatic experience and would ensure the prosecution of the suspects.
“It’s very sad for the children to find themselves in such situations. We cannot even explain why this type of thing is happening in our state. We were told the children had been abused sexually,” he said.
The state Commander of NAPTIP, Misbau Iyan Kaura, said the traffickers usually moved the children to their hideout in Zamfara State from where they were moved to Calabar.
He said his men were able to intercept the last batch of the children, which led to the rescue of others in Calabar based on a tip-off.
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