The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, in collaboration with the Taraba State Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, on Tuesday reunited ten trafficked minors with their biological parents in Jalingo, the state capital.
The children were rescued after NAPTIP operatives intercepted a woman and the minors on Jan. 31, 2026, at Kurmi Park in Jalingo, while they were allegedly being transported to Baissa, the administrative headquarters of Kurmi local government council in Taraba.
In a statement issued by the Commander of NAPTIP’s Taraba Command, Mr. Bako Amos, said the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Mrs. Mary Sinjen, visited the command on Feb. 2, 2026, alongside the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Eric Juyo, to receive and interact with the rescued children.
According to the statement, the engagement was aimed at identifying the root causes of the illegal movement of minors from their homes to unknown destinations and assessing the challenges faced by the victims, with a view to developing policies that would help curb human trafficking and irregular migration of children, women and girls.
The statement also highlighted the dangers associated with the irregular movement of vulnerable persons, noting that such acts are often carried out without parental consent or through deception, under the pretext of seeking better opportunities. It added that traffickers frequently exploit children for financial gain.
NAPTIP also called on parents and guardians in the state to desist from handing over their children to unscrupulous traffickers in an attempt to ease the burden of child upbringing, warning that such actions expose minors to grave risks.
While reaffirming its commitment to the protection, rehabilitation and care of victims, the agency vowed that perpetrators and accomplices would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
