NDLEA intercepts vehicles conveying ’34 victims of child trafficking’ to Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have rescued 34 children alleged to be victims of child trafficking.

In a statement on Friday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the children are between the ages of eight and 14.

According to Babafemi, two vehicles were intercepted on Thursday in Kogi while on the way to Abuja.

“NDLEA operatives on patrol along Okene-Lokoja expressway in Kogi state have intercepted 34 children between the ages of 8 and 14 being trafficked from Ijebu Ode, Ogun state to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory,” the statement reads.

“The minors, packed in two commercial buses; Toyota Sienna and a 12-seater Mazda with registration numbers Lagos LND124FV and Oyo BDJ-683YK, respectively, were recovered in the early hours of Thursday, 16th Dec, from the human trafficking syndicate.

“The bus drivers confirmed that the kids were handed over to them by a woman at Ijebu Ode to be conveyed to Abuja, adding that on arrival in FCT, the woman is to call another bus driver who will convey the children to Riyom in Plateau State.

“It was further revealed that the children were initially trafficked from Plateau state to Ijebu Ode, where they were distributed to different households as domestic servants. Some of the children were discovered to have served for two years and their rewards sent to woman’s agent in Jos.”

In another development, the NDLEA said its operatives, on Wednesday, seized 64,000 pump action gun cartridges from a store in Anambra.

Donatus Igwebudu, alleged to be an arms dealer, was arrested in connection with the discovery of the cartridges.

Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman, commended the operatives for their efforts, adding that the rescued children will be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation.