The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons says the agency rescued 68 victims and apprehended 62 suspected human traffickers in Akwa Ibom in 2025.

The Uyo zonal commander of NAPTIP, Ubong Ekwere, disclosed this on Thursday in Uyo.

Mr Ekwere said that out of the 68 victims rescued, 51 were females and 17 were males.

He said that five of the victims were still in their shelter, while the rest had been reunited with their families.

“Five are still there in our shelter, which comprises two males, one female, and two babies,” Mr Ekwere said.

Mr Ekwere also disclosed that during the year under review, the command received 58 trafficking cases.

“Out of the 58 cases, police transferred five cases to us, four from DSS, two from the Nigeria Immigration Service, and Uyo Command personally handled 47 cases,” he said.

He said that the command secured two convictions, while 22 cases were still pending in court and undergoing prosecution at different stages.

“We expect to secure more convictions this year to serve as a deterrent to human traffickers in the state,” he said.

The zonal commander said that the command would continue to embark on aggressive sensitisation to churches, mosques, schools, and rural communities to expose the dangers of human trafficking and traffickers’ antics to the people.

He expressed displeasure that Akwa Ibom had been an endemic state for human trafficking.

Mr Ekwere called on state and local government authorities to join hands with NAPTIP to ensure the fight against human trafficking is won.

He urged parents and guardians to be vigilant, as there was a new trend of human trafficking in the state, which involved the selling of babies.

He stressed that it was a very serious crime against the state, and anyone caught would face the full wrath of the law.

He called on state and local governments to get involved in fighting the menace of human trafficking in the state, stressing that the vulnerable children were from the state and local government areas.

He appealed to parents and guardians to be mindful of those coming to take their young girls with the intention of greener pastures, stressing that they might end up in child labour or prostitution.

The zonal commander solicited support from the state government, well-meaning individuals, and organisations in the state to support the agency in the fight against human trafficking, as the federal government could not do it alone.

The zonal commander urged traffickers to desist from such acts, as the state and country were no longer safe for such erroneous crime.

He called on stakeholders to collaborate with NAPTIP to ensure human trafficking and, especially, child theft are eradicated from the state.

He commended sister security agencies for their partnership and collaboration in intelligence sharing to stem the nefarious activities of human trafficking.

He lamented that the command had no operational vehicle to move across the state’s 31 LGAs and appealed for support from the government and multinational organisations operating in Akwa Ibom. 

(NAN)