FRSC operatives arrests child traffickers in Kaduna

THE Federal Road Safety Corps operatives in Kaduna State have arrested some suspected child traffickers who were allegedly intercepted with 17 minors heading to an unknown destination from Kano.

Head, Media Relations and Strategy of the Corps, Mr Bisi Kazeem, who made this known on Saturday in Abuja, said the Corps operatives in the course of their duties impounded a vehicle for overloading and broken windscreen only to later discover occupants of the vehicle were suspected child traffickers with minors crammed in a the vehicle.

Kazeem, in a statement explained that the vehicle, a Ford Galaxy model with registration number LMU 76 XA ash in color was travelling from Kano to undisclosed location on 27th April, 2017 at about 11:55 am, when the patrol team flagged down the driver of the said vehicle.

He said the refusal of the driver to stop raised suspecion and that with the advantage of the traffic light at Dutsenma junction that turned red and the traffic build-up, the driver was forced to stop which enable his arrest and impoundment of the vehicle to the FRSC base at No 12 Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna.

He said while the Patrol team had earlier set out to book the driver for committing traffic offences of overloading and broken windscreen, on close inspection, the team leader noticed that the front windscreen of the vehicle has serious crack and counted 17 minors and 3 adults (a driver, a woman and one other person), totalling 20 persons instead of only 9 persons occupying the vehicle, which raised her suspicions.

Kazeem, said the vehicle was impounded and taken to the base for overloading, seatbelt violation and windscreen violation.

The Corps’ Sector Head of Operations in Kaduna who interviewed the driver and could not get a convincing answer regarding the movement of the passengers, had a hunch about the driver’s destination with the children.

He added the attention of the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, was drawn to the development, who immediately directed the case to be reported to the Comptroller of Immigration Kaduna State.

It was gathered that the Comptroller Immigration Kaduna, immediately sent his personnel to take away the vehicle and its occupants for further investigation at their Command.

“On getting to their Office, human trafficking unit of Immigration were also not satisfied with the driver’s explanation and thereafter, the National Agency for Prohibition in Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) office was called upon to intervene and the vehicle and its occupants had been taken to  Kano office of NAPTIP for further investigation and necessary action.

“Oyeyemi, who approved of the release of the vehicle to NAPTIP to serve as exhibit on their request, used the opportunity to stress the need for constant interagency collaboration to foster security of lives and properties in the Country,” the statement said.