Authorities have rescued 21 boys who were being trafficked under the pretense of receiving Islamic education (Almajiri) across the country’s border into Niger Republic.
The rescue operation took place over the weekend when immigration officers at the Geidam Border Control Post intercepted the traffickers as they attempted to transport the children to Maine Soroa in Diffa Province, Niger Republic.
Following their rescue, the boys were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which then transferred them to the Niger State Government for further care and rehabilitation.
Speaking in Abuja, NAPTIP’s Director-General, Hajiya Binta Bello, revealed that the victims were taken from their homes in Magama Local Government Area of Niger State and were en route to a foreign Islamic school when authorities intervened.
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“The intelligence we received indicated that they were being transported to an Islamic school in Niger. I asked the commissioner if there were no Islamic schools in Niger State, and he confirmed that there are plenty,” Bello stated.
She urged the Niger State Government to educate parents on the risks of entrusting their children to unauthorized individuals. She also recommended enrolling the children in Islamic institutions that offer both religious and Western education to secure their future.
Niger State Governor Usman Bago, represented by the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management, Ahmed Yumu, assured that the state would intensify awareness campaigns to prevent parents from unknowingly placing their children in danger.
He also commended NAPTIP for its efforts in curbing human trafficking and ensuring the safety of vulnerable children.