By Alemma Aliu

BENIN—The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, yesterday said it had rescued no fewer than 500 victims of human trafficking in 2018 alone, adding that  about 5,000 had been rescued by the agency since inception.

NAPTIP

Speaking at an event to mark this year’s United Nations Day Against Trafficking in Persons, in Benin City, Edo State, Benin Zonal Commander of the agency, Mr. Nduka Nwanwenne, said every stakeholder must collaborate with it to curb the menace which he said was becoming a monster that had expanded to drug abuse, human part sales and no longer restricted to females.

Part of the event was a five kilometres walk from NAPTIP office to the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, secretariat in Benin City.

He said: “Human trafficking is a global issue and so we need a global solution to be able to solve the problem. It is an issue that one agency cannot tackle alone. NAPTIP, as the focal agency cannot do it alone, we need the collaboration of every stakeholder to fight the scourge. If we come to together, we can join our hands to make sure that human trafficking is brought to an end.

The Benin Zonal Command, over the years, has rescued over 3,000 victims of human trafficking. This year alone, we rescued almost 500 victims of human trafficking. Some of the perpetrators have been sent to jail.”