By ADEROGBA GEORGE

Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi, Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has urged stakeholders to intensify actions against child trafficking in the country.

Waziri-Azi made the call in a statement by by Mrs Stella Nezan, Head, Public Relations unit in Abuja on Monday.

The director-general directed all NAPTIP zonal and state commanders to leave no stone unturned towards tackling child trafficking within their jurisdictions.

She urged them to commence surveillance operations within their coverage areas in the interest of the public.

“We have to ensure that child trafficking is completely tackled, all those involved in buying and selling of human beings should be apprehended and prosecuted,” she said.

According to her, child trafficking is an inhuman activity that should not be allowed in human society.

“Shutdown those places they call baby factories. Apprehend and prosecute those who own them, it is illegal and barbaric,” she said.

Waziri-Azi said that NAPTIP was committed towards strengthening partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to ensure a successful campaign against child trafficking.

“The spate of child trafficking, kidnaping and stealing of children is worrisome, we can’t fold our arms and watch.

“The law empowers the agency to deal with all cases of human trafficking, buying and selling of human beings as well as cruelty against children.

“I know that we have been quite proactive in delivering on our mandate, we have recorded tremendous breakthroughs, we need to be more resilient.

“As an agency, we have rescued many children from their abductors and reunited then with their families, we need to do more,” she said.

The D-G urged members of the public to support the agency with intelligence information to enable it track down trafficking offenders.

She said that those involved in the illegal activity are known to members of the public, saying,” they can be apprehended if the right information is provided”

”Let’s be more vigilant, let’s endeavor to report suspicious movements within our environments, together we shall win the battle,” she said. (NAN)

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