The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says a 54-year-old man has been arrested for alleged attempt to take 12 children to Lagos State for labour.
The Head of Operations of NAPTIP, Mr Moses Unongo, on Thursday, handed over the children to the Nasarawa State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, in Lafia.
At the occasion, Unongo, said that the suspect was intercepted in Abuja by the police on his way to Lagos State to give out the children as domestic servants.
He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the children were all from Ninghar Village of Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
He said that the children were aged between 10 years and 23 years.
“Investigation also revealed that the culprit had previously taken 17 children to Lagos from the same village.
“Our men had already gone to Lagos to rescue the other 17 victims,” he added.
He said that the suspect was in NAPTIP’s custody custody and helping in investigation.
Receiving the victims, Mrs Aisha Rufai-Ibrahim, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, thanked NAPTIP for efforts in curbing child labour and trafficking.
She said that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law was in full force in the state, warning that no offender would be spared.
The commissioner said that the state government would make sure that all the children would return to school.
She advised parents not to hand over their children to those who could use them for labour. (NAN).