A joint task force set up by the Plateau State Government has successfully intercepted two children being trafficked to Lagos, rescuing them from exploitation. The operation, which took place on Saturday at a Lagos-bound park in Jos, also led to the arrest of one female suspect, Mrs. Manwor Ayuba.
According to Mrs. Caroline Panglang Dafur, the Plateau State Commissioner for Women Affairs, the underage Tarok children, from Langtang South Local Government Area, were about to be sent to Lagos to work for an unknown individual. Ayuba, the trafficker, was apprehended during the operation, which aimed to curb child labor and exploitation in the state.
Dafur urged residents to be vigilant and report suspicious activities related to trafficking. Meanwhile, the Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society (CWEENS) expressed growing concern over the rising cases of human trafficking in Plateau, calling for immediate action to address the issue. The group highlighted the recent crackdown on a trafficking syndicate, which resulted in the rescue of five children and the arrest of Pastor Dayo Bernard, the operation’s mastermind.
CWEENS also stressed the need for government intervention to address the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty and unemployment, advocating for livelihood programs and vocational training for vulnerable communities.
