The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons says it has rescued 221 victims of human trafficking in Jigawa in two years.

NAPTIP commander in Jigawa, Abdulladir Turajo, stated this at a one-day sensitisation campaign against human trafficking in Kazaure.

Mr Mahmud said the victims were rescued and reunited with their respective families after the establishment of the command in July 2023.

He added that the command has also, within the period, recorded two convictions and conducted 175 sensitisation programmes in various communities, schools, places of worship, motor parks, and markets across the state.

The exercise was organised in collaboration with the Jigawa State Ministry for Local Government and Community Development.

The campaign is part of the aggressive zonal grassroots sensitisation campaign for critical stakeholders in the 27 LGAs to be conducted in three phases.

According to the commander, the programme will be conducted in three phases. The one held today in Kazaure, being the first phase, is for 12 LGAs from Jigawa North-West. The second will be conducted in Hadejia for eight LGAs of the Jigawa North-East zone, and the last in Dutse for the seven LGAs of the Jigawa South-West zone, respectively.

The commander further pointed out that the campaign was imperative due to the strategic location of the state, being one of the major international routes and recruitment grounds for human trafficking activities.

Mr Turajo added that the initiative serves as an avenue to educate critical stakeholders in the state on the dangers and consequences associated with human trafficking.

“The command wishes to use the programme to establish partnerships with the local communities for effective response against trafficking in persons in the local communities, through intelligence sharing and reporting of cases and incidences of trafficking from the local grassroots levels,” he said.

While appreciating the Ministry for Local Government for sponsoring the programme, the commander also commended Governor Umar Namadi for his support and interventions that led to the overall success recorded by the agency in counter-trafficking operations in the state.

(NAN)