NAPTIP Rescues 221 Human Trafficking Victims In Jigawa

The Jigawa State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 221 victims of human trafficking within two years across the state.

The State Commander, Mr. Abdulladir Turajo, disclosed this during a one-day sensitisation campaign against human trafficking held in Kazaure on Friday.

The event was organised in collaboration with the Jigawa State Ministry for Local Government and Community Development as part of an aggressive zonal grassroots awareness programme.

Turajo revealed that since the establishment of the Jigawa Command in July 2023, the agency has not only rescued and reunited over two hundred victims with their families but has also secured two convictions and conducted 175 sensitisation activities across communities, schools, religious centres, motor parks, and markets.

“The Command has taken the fight against human trafficking to the doorsteps of our people. These 221 rescued victims represent lives reclaimed from danger, exploitation, and uncertainty,” Turajo stated.

He explained that the sensitisation campaign would be carried out in three phases, covering all 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

The first phase, held in Kazaure, targets 12 LGAs in the Northwest zone; the second will take place in Hadejia for the eight LGAs in the Northeast zone, while the final phase is scheduled for Dutse, covering the seven LGAs of the Southwest zone.

Turajo highlighted the strategic importance of Jigawa as a major international route and recruitment hub for traffickers, especially given its proximity to neighbouring countries.

He stressed that the campaign aims to educate local stakeholders on the dangers and long-term consequences of human trafficking.

“This initiative seeks to strengthen collaboration with local communities for prompt intelligence sharing, case reporting, and proactive response against trafficking activities from the grassroots level,” he added.

The commander also expressed appreciation to the Jigawa State Government for its consistent support, noting that Governor Umar Namadi’s interventions have significantly contributed to the success of NAPTIP’s counter-trafficking operations in the state.

In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Local Government, Mr. Ibrahim Garba, represented by the Director of Social Development, Mahmud Mukaddas, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to support NAPTIP’s campaign.

He called on community leaders, youth groups, and civil society organisations to join forces in combating the menace.

Also speaking, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Area Commander, Mr. Adamu Bashir, urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and monitor the movements of their children and wards to prevent them from falling victim to traffickers’ deceptive recruitment schemes.

The sensitisation exercise, according to officials, is the first phase of a statewide anti-trafficking awareness drive, which is aimed at strengthening border surveillance, intelligence cooperation, and community resilience against human trafficking and exploitation in Jigawa State.