Army rescues 300 human trafficking victims
Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Azubuike Ihejirika
| credits:
| credits:
The
Kogi State Army Commandant of Quick Respond Group Team, Maj. Gen.
Alphonsus Chukwu, on Sunday said the team rescued no fewer than 300
human trafficking victims.
Speaking during a media briefing in
Lokoja, he said the victims, who came from Benue State, were rescued
along Itobe-Ajaokuta and Okene Road on Saturday during a ‘stop and
search’ operation.
He added that the victims comprised children and adults both male and female.
Chukwu said the ages of the children
ranged from 10 to 15 years while the adults were above 18 years, adding
that they were heading to Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti states.
He said many of them were incoherent when questioned while some said they were going to seek holiday jobs.
Chukwu said it was shocking when buses
were stopped for search and over 300 passengers were heading for the
same destination in suspicious circumstances.
On Friday, a human trafficking suspect,
Mr. Sunday Agbo from Benue State, was arrested by the task force with 10
children comprising boys and girls.
During interrogation, Agbo allegedly said he had been in the trade for close to a decade.
He further claimed that the alleged trafficking was done with the consent of the children’s parents.
He said the parents were paid N5, 000
per child with the promise that their children would be assisted to
secure jobs as house-helps in Lagos and other states.
