By Nahum Sule (Taraba State Correspondent, in Jalingo)
Taraba State Governor, Arch. Dairus Ishaku, on Wednesday, directed the Task Force Team on Human Trafficking and Snuggling of Migrants to commence immediate prosecution of those found culprit in trafficking children.
The governor gave the directive at the sensitization against Trafficking in Persons and Snuggling of Migrants organised by FIIAPP in collaboration with Hope Afresh Taraba and NACTAL in Jalingo.
Governor Ishaku who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Anthony Jellason, said that his earlier inauguration of a task force teams in that regard was his immediate response to the menace.
While commending the funders and other partners in the advocacy, the governor assured the civil society groups that his administration would live no stone unturned in eradicating the child trafficking menace.
Earlier, Dr Anna Ishaku, Wife of the governor and First Lady of the state, expressed concern over the massive trafficking of children into slavery. The first lady who was represented by Mrs Bridget Twar, the State Commissioner for Social Development said that the Cameron-Nigerian boarder had served as trafficking route of persons and children from neighbouring local government areas.
She recalled that 72 children were intercepted from a trafficker in the state. She thanked the partners for heeding to her yearnings and stepped up awareness campaign against such menace.
Also speaking, Mr Abdulganiyu Abubakar, National President, Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL), said that they were in Taraba to assist in ensuring that the menace was eradicated.
Abubakar commended the Taraba State Government for supporting the awareness campaign. NNL.