The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Benin Zonal Command, says it has rescued about 96 victims of human trafficking in the zone.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Friday, the Zonal Commander of the zone, including Edo and Delta States, Mrs Chidiebere Oruruo-Ifudu, said, that the victims were rescued between January and October.
She noted that the zone also arrested 79 suspected human traffickers within the period, securing four convictions.
Oruruo-Ifudu added that 63 of the rescued victims had been reunited with their families, while the agency empowered 15 victims and reintegrated them into the society.
However, the zonal commander revealed that within the period under review, the zone treated not less than 117 reported cases as it has several pending cases in court.
She further disclosed a renewed zeal to tackle human trafficking in the zone as the year gradually winds up.
“This is because the ills of human trafficking cannot be overemphasised as many innocent Nigerian youths have been lured away by human traffickers under the guise of helping them get abroad.
“The victims either die before they get to their desired destination or become victims of organ harvesting.”
Speaking further, she added that the agency had intensified its operations, especially vigilance in the zone because many innocent youths are usually susceptible to the antics of human traffickers who would come into the states during the yuletide.
She maintained that these traffickers would lure them under the guise of a greener and better life abroad.
Because of this, she said that measures had been put in place to ensure rigorous and practical awareness creation in primary, secondary schools and tertiary institutions.
Oruruo-Ifudu hinted that every form of mass communication strategy would be deployed to push home the message against human trafficking to every resident within the zone.
She noted that the zone is working and would continue to work in tandem with the agency’s Director-General while urging residents to report activities of human traffickers. (NAN)
