The Lagos command of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Tuesday, said it would clamp down on restaurants and beer parlours that engaged children as workers.

The NAPTIP commander for Lagos, Comfort Agboko, told journalists that the agency would beam its searchlight on restaurants and beer parlours to get such employers of child labour.

Ms Agboko said it was wrong to engage children below 12 years as domestic workers.

“This agency, through its enlightenment programme, has many times stressed that it was wrong to engage children as workers.

“Any parent that willingly gives his or her child out to such employers is guilty,” she said.

According to the commander, the law that set up the agency prohibits employing children under 12 as domestic workers.

“Anyone found guilty of employing such a child is liable to seven years’ imprisonment,” she said.

She added, “The Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, which set up NAPTIP, prohibits all forms of slavery and slavery-like activities.”

She, however, encouraged parents to strive hard to give their wards quality education instead of using them to make money.

She decried that some of the children engaged were being abused by men and trafficked by unknown persons.

Ms Agboko said the agency remained committed to fighting all forms of human trafficking in the country.

(NAN)