Eight trafficked children have been rescued by the Taraba State Government in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), following a coordinated operation to halt child trafficking in the state.
Speaking during the reunion of the rescued children with their families on Friday, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Mary Sinjen, revealed that the victims were taken from Minda, a remote village in Lau Local Government Area.
According to her, the children were intercepted in Gembu, the headquarters of Sardauna LGA, where the traffickers were allegedly looking for more children to abduct.
“Following swift action by the Ministry and NAPTIP, eight of the children have been safely returned to Taraba State,” she said.
The prime suspect, identified as Mrs. Patience, alongside other accomplices, has been arrested and is currently in custody. Legal proceedings are already underway, while search operations continue for more trafficked children.
Commissioner Sinjen stressed that the state government will not tolerate the exploitation of children for profit and assured residents that justice will be served.
“This administration is fully committed to ensuring justice, rehabilitating victims, and strengthening inter-agency collaboration to combat child trafficking,” she added.
She also urged community members to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity, stating that child protection is a shared responsibility.
