The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued two young boys from Akwa Ibom who were trafficked to Taraba for labour exploitation.
According to Awhen, the agency received a complaint about the disappearance of two boys, 16-year-old Abasifreke Okon and 17-year-old Precious Ene, who live with their parents in Uyo metropolis.
Ene was accused of luring Okon away, leading to his mother, Mrs Grace Ene, being reported to the Paramount Ruler of Uyo.
The traditional ruler subsequently handed her over to NAPTIP for investigation.
Through inquiries, it was discovered that a man identified as Christian Gombe had traveled to Uyo and persuaded the boys to work for him in Taraba without their parents’ consent.
“Upon receiving the complaint, we immediately contacted our NAPTIP office in Taraba and alerted them about the incident,” Awhen said.
“The search for the boys began, and Gombe was contacted. Realising that NAPTIP was involved, he volunteered to return the boys immediately.
“We received a call from the Paramount Ruler of Uyo about the case, and we sent our officers to bring the woman (Mrs Grace Ene) to our office.
“She was detained, and we communicated with our Taraba office. In the process, we obtained the contact details of the man who trafficked the boys.
“Our men in Taraba instructed him to take the boys to the NAPTIP office there, and upon hearing this, he immediately complied and returned them to us,” Awhen explained.
Narrating their ordeal, Precious Ene said they met Christian Gombe at a BetNaija outlet along Nwaniba Road, where he offered them jobs in Taraba.
“On Feb. 12, Gombe returned with tickets for us to travel to Taraba, where he promised we would work for him.
“We arrived on Feb. 13, and he provided accommodation for us. We then started selling building materials for him,” Ene recounted.
However, he added that they were not paid any money until they were returned to Uyo to reunite with their parents on March 14.
The boys expressed gratitude to NAPTIP for their rescue, stating that they were uncomfortable staying in Taraba.
Awhen urged parents and guardians to be cautious about individuals offering their children opportunities for a “better life,” warning that they could end up in child labour or prostitution.
He also advised traffickers to desist from such acts, emphasising that both the state and country were cracking down on human trafficking.
Awhen encouraged victims, parents, and the general public to reach out to NAPTIP for assistance through the following helplines: 08069539747, 08023574406, and 08035961835. (NAN)
