By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
The Kogi State government has repatriated 34 trafficked children to Plateau State to rejoin their parents and families.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Kabir Buba, made the disclosure on Sunday December 19, 2021, during a press briefing in Lokoja.
Stonix News reports that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on December 16, 2021, along the Okene-Lokoja Expressway intercepted two commercial buses – Toyota Sienna and a 12- seater Mazda with registration numbers Lagos LND124FV and Oyo BDJ-683YK respectively.
The buses were allegedly conveying minors from Ogun State to Plateau State by a yet-to-be-identified human trafficking syndicate.
During interrogation, the bus drivers confirmed that the kids were handed over to them by a woman at Ijebu-Ode, known as Mama Blessing also known as Martina to be conveyed to Abuja.
The bus drivers added that, on arrival in the FCT, the woman was expected to call another bus driver who would convey the children to Riyom in Plateau State.
But while addressing journalists on Sunday in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Kabir Buba, said the repatriated children were within the age of nine to 19 years.
According to her, “after several interviews and investigations by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in Kogi State, we are meant to understand that all the trafficked Children are from Plateau State.
“The issue is still under investigation and the children were repatriated to their state (Plateau) and handed over to their Ministry of Women Affairs to reunite with their parents.
“It is important to state, here, gentlemen of the press, that Kogi State government, under our amiable Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello, will continue to protect children and ensure that criminals have no breeding place in our state.
“Our administration will follow this incident to a logical conclusion and ensure that those behind this evil act are brought to book.”
Hajia Buba further stated that the ministry had already written the Ministry of Women Affairs in Ogun State to track down the said woman.
She added that the Director Operations, National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Daniel Atokolo, is investigating the issue thoroughly with a view to tracking down the syndicate.
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