The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has handed over 52 individuals suspected to be victims of human trafficking from Zamfara State to the state government.
The handover was conducted by the NAPTIP State Coordinator, who transferred the victims to the Zamfara State Substance Abuse Control and Prohibition of Human Trafficking Agency.
The victims from Anka and Talata-Mafara Local Government Areas, were arrested en route to Abuja for mining work.
A total of 53 individuals had embarked on the journey, including the suspected mastermind, one Bilyaminu.
However, 52 of them have now been returned to Zamfara State while Bilyaminu remains in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
These individuals were intercepted by Nigerian Army troops before being handed over to the DSS. When presented to the Zamfara State Government, they appeared unkempt, hungry, and desperate for survival.
Speaking to journalists after the handover ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Substance Abuse Control and Prohibition of Human Trafficking Agency, Ishaq Anka, stated that after thorough investigation by the DSS, the victims were returned to NAPTIP for further action.
“We received 52 persons from National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Abuja, they are people from Anka and Talata-Mafara Local Government that were arrested by the Nigerian Army on their way to Abuja.
“After arresting them, they were investigated for three days, later they were handed over to the Department of State Services where they have done their own finding and they handed over the victims to NAPTIP Abuja, it was Abuja NAPTIP that called us that there are some victims that they want to return to the state government.
“We have received them but unfortunately the leader of the gang is still with the Department of State Services Abuja, they are still interrogating him, you can believe me, this is really act of trafficking, somebody will come and give you money that you are going to do a hard labour and he is going to settle you based on what you have done in the cause of hard labourship.
“You can see how they look like, they don’t have money, they don’t have anything, you can see their condition. Though we are in fasting period, but I really sympathize their condition because they feed once in a day, they only take water.”
One of the victims, Hamza Shuaibu from Anka Local Government, narrated his experience to Channels Television.
He disclosed that Bilyaminu had promised them mining work in Abuja before their journey was disrupted.
“They brought us from Abuja to Zamfara State. We came to look for mining work. We had not gotten to our destination when we were arrested. Bilyaminu is doing this to help us. We know the government is doing everything to protect its citizens. Anywhere we go, we go with one mind.
“God will protect us, and security will also protect us. We thank God and the Zamfara State Government for rescuing us from our predicaments. We are appealing to the Zamfara State Government to rescue one of our leaders, Bilyaminu, because he did not violate the law; he was helping us.”
Meanwhile, the Zamfara State Government has cautioned residents, particularly those in rural communities, against being deceived by individuals promising them greener pastures elsewhere. The government warned that such promises often lead to exploitation and human trafficking.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, the government also assured that more sensitization and awareness programs would be conducted to educate the public on the dangers of human trafficking.