21 children rescued in Niger State

The Niger State Government has rescued 21 underage boys from an alleged human trafficking syndicate in Magama Local Government Area, officials said on Wednesday.

Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba, who disclosed this while addressing journalists in Minna, expressed shock at the circumstances surrounding the rescue operation.

According to him, the boys, whose average age is 10, were intercepted while being transported to Niger Republic.

He said security operatives apprehended a suspected trafficker from Geidam, Yobe State, as he attempted to ferry the children across the border.

Human trafficking remains a persistent challenge in Nigeria, with children and young people often targetted under false promise of better economic opportunities.

Northern Nigeria, including Niger State, has become a key route for traffickers moving victims across borders, particularly into Niger Republic and Libya, where many fall into forced labour, prostitution, or organ trafficking networks.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has repeatedly raised concerns over Nigeria’s status as a source, transit, and destination country for human trafficking.

According to reports, traffickers exploit weak border control and the economic vulnerability of rural communities to lure children and young adults into slavery.

The deputy governor emphasised that human trafficking violates Section 34(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees respect for human dignity.

“This is a clear case of man’s inhumanity to man. These victims are often subjected to forced labour, prostitution, and even organ harvesting,” Mr Garba said.

The state government pledged to work closely with the federal government, security agencies, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to combat human trafficking.

Mr Garba urged local government chairpersons, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and parents to be more vigilant and report suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.

READ ALSO: Kano: NAPTIP rescues 285 victims, arrests 22 human traffickers in 2024

“Any parent found complicit in aiding human trafficking will face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.

The rescue of the 21 children comes amid heightened concerns over insecurity in the region, where kidnapping, banditry, and human trafficking have converged to create a worsening humanitarian crisis.

While efforts by security agencies and NAPTIP have led to arrests and the return of victims, experts say addressing the root causes—poverty, lack of education, and weak law enforcement—remains crucial in the fight against trafficking.

Mr Garba commended the federal government and security agencies for their swift intervention in rescuing the children and apprehending the suspect.