Seventy-five of 140 children trafficked from an Abuja orphanage to different parts of the country have been rescued by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Director of Public Enlightenment, Josiah Emerole said on Wednesday.
He spoke at an event where he delivered a lecture on emerging trends, routes and tricks in human trafficking.
The event, which held in Asaba, Delta State, was on capacity-building on standard reporting template organised through the Action Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (A-TIPSOM).
It was funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP).
Emerole said the children were trafficked over seven years ago and were recovered from two years ago when the information first got to the agency. He said the children had since been reunited with their parents, adding that the agency was still searching for the others and the suspect charged to court.
Noting that some orphanages are established for the purpose of trafficking children, Emerole said those behind them take advantage of the vulnerability of some parents to sell their kids for sexual exploitation, forced labour and street begging.
“Nigerians must be careful especially some of them that do celebrate birthdays with orphans. We are not saying do not visit orphanage homes but verify from credible MDAs like the Ministry of Women Affairs or the Local government close to you.
“In one of the cases in Abuja, the total number of children involved were 140 and we have been able to rescue 75. We still do not know the whereabouts of others. The suspect, a woman was arrested and charged to court. The matter is still in court.
“This people extract these children from vulnerable parents who do not have means of taking care of their children into their orphanage homes.
“Some of them return to their homes at night while some are not even allowed to return home, some even sold to other states in Nigeria,” he said.
