By Uzair Adam Imam
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Taraba Command apprehended two suspects at the Jalingo Main Motor Park attempting to traffic 16 children to Benin in Edo.
The suspects, identified as Daniel Madin and Federation Markus, were apprehended on Thursday.
The children, aged between 10 and 16, included five girls and 11 boys, originating from the Zing and Bali Local Government areas of Taraba.
Adamu Salihu, the State NSCDC Commandant, disclosed that preliminary investigations unveiled the suspects as part of a larger syndicate specialising in trafficking underage children, promising them a brighter future in Edo.
However, these children often end up in dehumanizing jobs, and the earnings from such work are seized by their handlers.
Salihu expressed concern about the alarming rate at which parents relinquish their responsibility for raising their children, handing them over to strangers for a meagre sum.
He condemned the acts of forcing children into labour, prostitution, baby factories, organ harvesting, and money rituals.
The commandant stated the urgency of halting this trend and called on relevant stakeholders in the state to take decisive measures against the rising scourge of human trafficking.
The suspects and the 16 children have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation and prosecution.