The Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, has issued a strong warning to parents across Nigeria, cautioning them against leaving their children in the care of casual friends, untrusted neighbours, and one-off service providers.
The warning came during the formal reunification of a five-year-old child trafficking victim, Rahama Ibrahim, with her family in Damaturu, Yobe State, after months in captivity.
The Director General, who was represented at the event by the Yobe State Commander of NAPTIP, Mr. Saleh Zakar, described the practice of entrusting children to unfamiliar individuals as a major risk factor for trafficking and abductions. She urged families to be more cautious and attentive to their children’s safety.
According to NAPTIP, young Rahama was abducted from her community in Damaturu by a driver who is now believed to be involved in a wider network of child theft. She was later intercepted in Abuja by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), who apprehended the suspect and an accomplice. Both have been charged to court in the Federal Capital Territory.
The reunification ceremony, held at the Government House in Damaturu, was attended by top security officials and dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Idi Barde Gubana, who praised NAPTIP for its swift and effective counter-trafficking response.
Speaking after receiving his daughter, Rahama’s father, Mallam Ibrahim, expressed deep gratitude to the agency for its role in ensuring his daughter’s safety and wellbeing. He commended the efforts of the Director General and her team for not only recovering the child but also taking proper care of her during the period of separation.
“I want to thank the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Director General of NAPTIP, for assisting my family in taking very good care of my daughter, who was stolen from us,” he said. “When I came here and saw my daughter, she looked very neat and well taken care of. I thank the DG and all the officers of NAPTIP. This agency is doing great work.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of Yobe State commended the leadership of NAPTIP for its proactive operations and reiterated the state government’s commitment to supporting the agency’s work. He noted that the successful rescue and reintegration of the child was a demonstration of effective inter-agency collaboration and a testament to the strength of Nigeria’s security institutions.
Director General Bello, in her message, thanked the DSS for its continued partnership and role in the successful interception of the suspect in Abuja. She used the occasion to urge parents nationwide to take greater responsibility for the protection of their children.
“It is very dangerous to keep your children in the care of strangers who come your way casually,” she warned. “Parents should desist from sending their children on errands alone, especially on lonely roads or during odd hours. We must be vigilant.”
Bello reaffirmed NAPTIP’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerian children and pledged that the agency would continue to pursue all cases of trafficking and child abduction with diligence. She also appreciated the cooperation of stakeholders and security agencies whose efforts, she said, continue to strengthen NAPTIP’s impact across the country.
The reunion marks another milestone in the agency’s ongoing fight against human trafficking, particularly involving children, and highlights the importance of community vigilance and institutional coordination in tackling this growing threat.