NAPTIP rescues 4,724 victims of human trafficking in 4 years

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) said it had rescued 4,724 victims of human trafficking from 2013 to June 2017.

Mrs Rosemary Okoro, an Assistant Director, Research and Planning Department of the agency, disclosed this at the 22nd National Stakeholders Consultative Forum on Wednesday in Abuja.

Okoro explained that the victims comprised 1,549 males and 3,175 females, adding that they were rehabilitated at the agency’s various shelters across the country.

She said that Edo had the highest figure of trafficked persons with 923, followed by Delta, 395 and Kano State, 328.

The official also listed Sokoto State as having a high number of trafficked persons with 239 while the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) recorded the lowest with four victims within the period under review.

The assistant director further disclosed that the agency received 2,648 cases of human trafficking and investigated 1,108 cases within the period under review.

She said 161 suspected traffickers were prosecuted and convicted in various courts of law across the country.

Okoro said that Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, foreign police and NGOs were among organisations that helped in the rescue of victims.

The NAPTIP official said that some Nigerian embassies in foreign countries also contributed immensely to the rescue of victims who had been trafficked and exploited by their traffickers.