Senate to carry out investigative hearing on child trafficking

The Senate on Wednesday mandated its Committees on Women Affairs and Youth Development as well as Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to conduct an investigative hearing on rising child trafficking in the country.

It also mandated the committees to proffer solutions to the issue of child trafficking and submit their reports within two weeks.

The Senate also urged all agencies responsible for curbing and eliminating child trafficking and trafficking in persons to be more effective in the discharge of their duties.

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Presenting the motion at plenary, Barau said there was serious concern on the trafficking of children across the country.

He said the trafficking was for purpose of forced adoption, domestic service and prostitution.

He said the act was becoming a widespread phenomenon adding that there were reported cases where children were kidnapped in the states of Gombe, FCT, Kano, among others.

He said there were reports that the children were sold to some willing buyers while some of the captives were forcefully adopted by the kidnappers in some part of the country.

He said some of the children had also been rescued by the security agencies and reunited with their parents.

Barau, however, said some of the children were still being held captive by kidnappers.

He said if the trend of kidnapping and trafficking was not nipped in the bud, it was capable of bringing about the child slavery system in the country.

This, Barau said had the tendency of destroying the future generation and promote negatively the image of Nigeria within the committee of nations.

The Senate also considered the presentation of 11 bills for first reading at plenary.

The bills are the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Alteration Bill 2019 sponsored by Sen. Istifanus Fun (APC- Plateau) and Public Procurement Act 2007 Amendments Bill 2019 sponsored by Sen. Uche Ekwunife (PDP- Anambra).

Others are, South-East Development Commission Establishment Bill 2019, sponsored by Sen. Stella Oduah (PDP- Anambra), Electronic Transaction Bill 2019, sponsored by Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (APC- Ogun) among others.

NAN