Plateau Arrests Three Suspects Trafficking Five Children To C’River
The Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, in collaboration with security agencies, on Thursday announced the rescue of five children who were being trafficked to Calabar, Cross River State.
The suspects were identified as Lydia Bulus, Linda Monday, and Esther Solomon.
They were arrested at Ngo Tallatu Jang motor park in Jos.
Chairperson of the Commission, Olivia Dazyam, expressed sadness that, despite awareness campaigns, people continue to engage in human trafficking.
She said, “This morning, together with the wife of the Chairman of Bassa Local Government and staff of NAPTIP, we acted on a tip-off and rescued these children.”
Dazyam added that the law is clear: child trafficking is a serious offence.
“I want to call on the people of Plateau State to unite and say no to these activities. Virtually all our local governments have perpetrators, and we must work together to fish them out,” she said.
The commission has appealed to local governments, particularly those considered hot spots, to cooperate in the fight against human trafficking.
Dazyam praised the wife of the Chairman of Bassa Local Government Area, Mrs. Miriam Riti, for her prompt response to the situation.
The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects are expected to provide more information on the trafficking network.
Dazyam also urged parents to follow due process when adopting or relocating children, warning, “Poverty is not an excuse for releasing your child to somebody you don’t know.”
The commission vowed to continue its efforts to combat human trafficking and protect the rights of children in Plateau State.
Riti, while reacting to the incident, said, “I got a call concerning the trafficking of some children from my local government, so I came to the Gender Commission.
“It is really disheartening that in Bassa Local Government, these cases keep reoccurring despite awareness campaigns and the little empowerment we give to parents to enable them to make sacrifices for their children.”
