Akwa Ibom: 1444 human trafficking victims rescued within one year, says NAPTIP

The National Agency for Prohibition in Persons has disclosed that it had rescued over 1,444 persons in Akwa Ibom state since last year.

Out of the figure, 723 of the victims were from Akwa Ibom while 413,282 were from Cross River while 16 were from Cross River, Bayelsa and Rivers respectively.

This was disclosed on Thursday by Uyo zonal commander of the agency, Mrs. Tina Ugwu while interacting with newsmen on Thursday.

He said the Agency also investigated over 568 of the 1,035 cases it received and convicted 62 traffickers while 11 were still in court.

“For the number of cases received, the command received 1,035 cases with 1,035 suspects. It investigated over 568 cases. The command convicted about 52 traffickers in the zone with 11 cases still in court at different levels of prosecution.

“Then, specifically for my assumption that’s from the beginning of March, the commandant has had about 17 cases. We have about 10 of them under investigation and three that are fully investigated. We have about three cases with our legal elite which they are going to file today and tomorrow,” she said.

The Zonal Commander who also decried the high incidences of sale of babies in Akwa Ibom State said that efforts have intensified to apprehend those who perpetuate the crime.

She said the agency’s collaboration with sister agencies at the borders has produced outstanding results as most of the cases handled by the agency were transferred from them while NAPTIP has assisted in giving some of their staff strategic training in their operations.

She decried the activities of many Traditional Birth Attendants and warned that the agency would not spare any of them found culpable even as she regretted that most couples connive with them in their illegal activities.

“And to make matters worse, some families agree to this procedure and the so-called pregnant mothers know they are not pregnant but because of desperation to own a child accept any condition, they are given by those homes.

“And those homes have always found a way to evade arrest but we have a Task Force in place to monitor the TBAs with pieces of evidence of an agreement between them and couples,” she added.