These are certainly not the best of times for parents, especially careless ones, as child traffickers are on the prowl, stealing under-age children for sale to childless couples or luring unsuspecting girls into illegal migration, prostitution or forced labour and leaving families in distress. This is even as the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and security forces make efforts to curb the menace. In this report, PAUL OKAH chronicles some incidents and efforts and assurances.
Save for vigilance, close monitoring and constant inquiry, Nigerian parents have a lot to do to ensure the safety of their children and wards in the face of increasing child trafficking experienced across the country. In recent times, children as young as six months old or a few years old have been stolen from “careless” parents and sold to childless couples in different parts of the country by traffickers.
Similarly, as a result of poverty, many unsuspecting young girls have been sexually abused or lured into prostitution either within Nigeria or abroad by child traffickers, who promise them better lives outside their villages, even as many young boys of school have been engaged in forced rather than the Eldorado promised them by good-looking child traffickers.
Children rescued in Kebbi
On November 10, 2019, five suspects, including a staff of Usmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto (UDUTH), were arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS) over alleged sale of three children abducted from Zuru in Kebbi since July.
Kebbi state governor, Atiku Bagudu, who handed over the three children to their parents in Birnin Kebbi, said the three children, including a set of twins, were sold in Anambra in connivance with child traffickers.
While commending the security operatives for tracking and rescuing the children and assuring that the suspects would be prosecuted, Bagudu urged parents to be vigilant and monitor their children to prevent them from falling victims of abductors.
Teenage girls rescued in Anambra
Similarly, on November 9, 2019, during a media briefing in Awka, the commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Anambra state, Mr. David Bille, said the command arrested a 34- year old woman, Mrs. Nkeoma Ezuma, for alleged human trafficking.
Billie said, Ezuma, a restaurant owner at Agulu Ezechukwu community in Aguata local government area of the state was arrested on Nov. 5, at Agulu Ezechukwu, while perfecting plans to move her victims outside Nigeria.
He disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect specialised in trafficking teenage girls of between 17 and 25 years to Mali and other African countries where they were being forced into prostitution.
He said the command also rescued three victims- Ifeoma Ezenwanne (17 years), Chidimma Charles (18 years) and Mmesoma Onwue (17 years) who were billed for Mali for prostitution by the suspect; saying that the command got intelligence report on her illicit business, placed her on surveillance before her arrest and that the suspect, who had confessed to the crime, would be handed over to NAPTIP after investigation.
“On November7, 2019, at about 1200 hours, following a tip-off, men of my command arrested one Emeka Eyiuche. The suspect, after extorting N204, 000 from his victims numbering 10, promised to secure jobs for them with the NSCDC,” he said.
Kano teenager rescued
Furthermore, on November 12, 2019, Kano state police command’s Anti-Kidnapping Team of Operation Puff Adder rescued another 11-year-old boy kidnapped in Kano, Muhammed Ya’u and sold in Onitsha, Anambra.
A statement issued by the command’s public relations officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, in Kano, indicated that Ya’u was kidnapped in 2014 at PRP Quarters in Kano metropolis by one Paul Onwe and his wife Mercy Paul and sold to one Ebere Ogbodo for the sum of N200, 000.
He said all the three suspects were currently under investigation while effort was being intensified to rescue more kidnapped children.
He said, “In continuation of the Command’s effort to rescue the children kidnapped from Kano to other parts of the country, between 05/11/2014 to 08/11/2019, the command’s Anti Kidnapping Team of Operation Puff Adder carried out another rescue operation. During the operation, one Muhammed Ya’u ‘m’ 11-years-old kidnapped in the year 2014 at PRP Quarters in Kano, was successfully rescued at Onitsha in Anambra state.
“The victim was kidnapped by Paul Onwe and Mercy Paul’ and sold to Ebere Ogbodo ‘at the sum of N200 ,000 and renamed as Chinedu Ogbodo. The Command is using this medium to thank the good people of the state for their support, patience and efforts in fighting all forms of crime and criminality in the state.”
Offenders prosecuted
While many child traffickers have been escaping the long arm of the law, others have not been “lucky” as those arrested for child trafficking have either been prosecuted or jailed.
For instance, on November 15, 2019, the police on arraigned a cleric, Stanley Maduka, 40 and his sister, Glory Uma, 50, in an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing an eight-month-old boy.
The police charged Maduka with two counts of conspiracy and child theft, while Uma was charged with receiving a stolen baby, though they pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecution counsel, ASP Emuerhi Benson, told the court that the defendants committed the offence on Oct.18, at Iyana Ishashi Bus Stop Magboro area of Lagos.
“Maduka then agreed with her to sell the baby for N250, 000 and contacted his sister, Uma who has been married for 16 years without a child and told her about the arrangement. They paid N235, 000 to Chimecherem, who claimed to be the baby’s mother. She told them that she had three other children and couldn’t take care of the baby,” he said.
The prosecutor said that on Oct. 27 at Marogbo area in Lagos, based on information received by the operatives of State Intelligence Bureau (BIS), the defendants were arrested with the baby.
He said the biological parents of the baby are yet to be identified, but that the baby had been taken to a Juvenile welfare centre in Alakara, Mushin for protective custody.
The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 277(a) (b), 328 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
Similarly, on November 18, 2019, an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, sentenced a 39-year-old woman, Mercy Momoh, to three years I prison for stealing one-month-old baby.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Adesoji Adegboye, found the convict, whose house address was not given, guilty of the charge of stealing, though the convict had pleaded guilty to the charge and begged for leniency by the court.
The Magistrate, who summarily tried and sentenced the convict to three years imprisonment, however, gave her an option of N100, 000 fine.
NIS rescues victims travelling abroad
For time immemorial, migration has been the bane of the Nigerian society, especially as many people do everything possible to migrate abroad (sometimes illegally) “for greener pastures,” with the excuse that the Nigerian economy is bad; a situation that sometimes lead to either brain drain, brain waste, brain gain or brain circulation.
In such instance, orderly migration, which involves the movement of a person from his or her usual place of residence to a new place of residence, in keeping with the laws and regulations governing exit of the country of origin and travel, transit and entry into the destination or host country, is often betrayed. The push-pull factors, including economic, social or political problems, often drive people to leave their country, while the pull factors attract them to the country of destination.
Therefore, on November 23, 2019, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) arrested a suspected human trafficker with five female victims enroute Niger Republic to Europe. The Comptroller General of NIS, Mr. Muhammad Babandede, disclosed this in a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, Mr Sunday James in Abuja, saying the arrest was made by the operatives at Kongolam border, Katsina state.
Babandede reiterated that days of crossing National frontiers without proper documentation and melting into border communities was over, as the Special Border Corps (SBC) and regular border control officers were on their toes 24/7.
He said the SBC and regular border control officers were patrolling with the aim of enforcing adequate border security and control, while human mobility was regulated in line with federal government’s directives.
The CG congratulated the team at Kongolam for being at alert to their duty and operating a water tight control which was a well organised patrol along the Flanks, saying their dedication was due to the various trainings, operational exercises and drills they have been exposed to thereby bringing out the best in them.
Babandede said the suspect and the 5 female victims had been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Kano Zonal office for further necessary action in line with NIS mandate.
“I want to commend the Katsina Command for making it difficult for traffickers and human smugglers to pass through the border,” he said.
Ogun NSCDC trains officers
In order to curb the menace, on November 7, 2019, the NSCDC carried out a two-day training for 100 officers on anti-human trafficking, irregular migration and child protection at the NSCDC state headquarters, Kobape road, Abeokuta, Ogun state.
Instructors at the training include officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Child Protection Network of Nigeria (CPN).
The Corps state commandant, Hammed Abodunrin, at the opening ceremony, said the training had become necessary because “an abandoned, unprotected and untrained child would not grow to become a responsible citizen; while a society that harbours people without traces endangers itself.”
He said each of the trainees would later train two or three officers in various divisions of the NSCDC, to enhance the capacity of the agency in combating the vices, even as he announced plans by the agency to commence peace and security education for members of the public to raise protection awareness.
“This is as a result of our actions on this planet, including the vices of trafficking, irregular migration and failure to protect our children. No doubt, all hands must be on deck to check this twin menace of trafficking and illegal movement of people across borders. This workshop, therefore, is expected to build the capacity of participants in addressing trafficking and illegal movement of people across our borders, with a view to engender a better and safer Nigeria.
“The command will commence such trainings, which will be free for various sectors including the media, school children, teachers and community development associations among others. Our trained officers will move to the nooks and crannies of the state to create awareness; Help Desks will subsequently be established in the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas of the state. This is to help the public deal with issues relating to the vices,” he said.
NAPTIP seeks collaboration
On November 19, 2019, while receiving officials from Liberia on a four-day study tour of the agency in Abuja, NAPTIP Director General, Mrs. Julie Okah-Donli, called for more collaborative efforts towards tackling human trafficking in Africa.
She said such collaboration would enable African countries to put in place robust fight against human trafficking, calling for political will among African leaders towards formulation of policies aimed at crippling activities of human traffickers.
Okah-Donli said part of the achievements of the agency since inception was the conviction of 408 persons involved in human trafficking, adding that, many cases were still pending in court, while investigation was ongoing in others.
According to her, 16, 000 victims have passed through NAPTIP shelters since the inception of the organisation, after being given psychological support such as skills training, education, medical, empowerment and reintegration to the society and families.
She also said the agency planned to build a regional academy on human trafficking that would assist in the fight against the menace in the continent.
“There should be convocation of an African conference on human trafficking, principally to discuss issues concerning human trafficking and the plight of teeming youths in the continent.
“There should be more synergy and mutual cooperation among law enforcement agencies within the continent so as to ensure accelerated investigation and prosecution of human traffickers,’’ she said.
Leader of the Liberia delegation, made up of officials from different law enforcement agencies in Liberia, Mr. Alvin Anderson, said Nigeria was chosen for the study tour because it has a bigger platform for checking human trafficking.
Anderson said the delegation was in Nigeria to learn the methodologies being used to tackle human trafficking with a view setting up similar structures in Liberia.
“Nigeria is a very great country, very great in TIP issues and that is why we choose the country for our learning experience, we decided to bring together our stakeholders to have this learning experience,’’ he said.
