Police in Katsina State have announced that they rescued 15 victims of human trafficking being ferried out of the country through Daura in Katsina State.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the Command, SP Gambo Isah, gave the indication while presenting the rescued victims at the state police headquarters on Friday.
Gambo said that the victims, consisting of 8 females and 7 males, all from the southern part of the country, were about to be ferried to Niger Republic and Libya when their trafficker was accosted by a police team around 3.30am on Friday at Baraji Quarters in Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State.
He gave the names of the eight females rescued by the police as Rafiat Ogunnekan, 22, (Ogun State), Razaq Temitope, 22, (Ondo State), Chidinma Ngozie, 19, (Imo State), Bridget Igiebor, 24, (Edo State),
Grace Emmanuel, 25, (Edo State), Showemimo Roqeebat, 18, (Lagos State), Chiwendo Chinweowu, 19, (Imo State), and Idowu Jomoloju 27, from Lagos State.
The rescued male victims are identified as Christopher Moses, 28, (Delta State), Chiwendi Nsonwu, 27, (Imo State), Oseribhor Destiny 24, (Abuja), Ulunwa Gospel Ngozie, 22, (Imo State), Salam Salim, 22, (Edo State), Prince David, 22, (Edo State), and Chibozor Amadi, 30, (Abia State).
The trafficker reportedly abandoned the victims and disappeared into the bush upon sighting the police.
However, the PPRO said that the police were on the trail of the trafficker who abandoned a dark green wagon Golf and fled with other members of his syndicate.
According to him, the state Commissioner of Police, Idris Dabban, has directed the anti-trafficking unit of the command to carry out thorough investigation on the incident.
In addition, Dabban directed that the rescued victims should be taken to the hospital for medical checkup.
He stated that provision for their feeding was being addressed by the command while efforts were ongoing to unite them with their family members.
The command is also liaising with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person to take over the investigation.
