Benue Links Rescues 19 Children from Traffickers in Two Weeks

Benue Links Rescues 19 Children from Traffickers in Two Weeks

 

 

Benue Links, the state-owned transport outfit, has rescued 19 minors from human traffickers over the past fortnight, the company disclosed yesterday.

 

The firm’s General Manager, Comrade Alexander Fanafa, made the revelation while briefing journalists in Makurdi, highlighting the company’s ongoing collaboration with government agencies, particularly the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), to combat child trafficking.

 

Fanafa disclosed that five children were intercepted last week alone. “Somebody was taking them to Jos in Plateau State, and upon inquiry, we discovered it was a trafficking case,” he said.

 

He added that in the preceding two weeks, 11 children were rescued from Lagos and brought back to Makurdi, before being handed over to NAPTIP. “Some days ago, we recovered two more, and on Wednesday last week, we reunited one child with her family in Zaki-Biam. We transported her from Lagos to Makurdi, then from Makurdi to Zaki-Biam, free of charge. The manager in Zaki-Biam personally handed her to her parents,” Fanafa said.

 

The GM stressed that Benue Links is among the few transport companies actively assisting NAPTIP in tackling the rising trend of child trafficking across the country. “We have safety officers, security personnel, and traffic officers trained to detect trafficking cases. Our vigilance ensures that children trafficked from Benue to other states using other transport companies are safely returned home through our services,” he said.

 

Fanafa noted that he and his staff underwent specialized training with NAPTIP to sharpen their ability to identify and intercept trafficking activities. “We use our eagle eyes to monitor movements and protect vulnerable children,” he added.

 

Operating in 35 states across Nigeria, Benue Links has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining close cooperation with NAPTIP to ensure a trafficking-free Benue and a safer nation.