The authorities of Benue Links Nigeria Limited, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued about 19 trafficked children in the last two months in the state.
General Manager of the transport company, Mr Alexander Fanafa, disclosed this during an interaction with journalists in Makurdi.
Mr. Fanafa who said the victims were rescued at different locations by security and safety officers of the company said, “Last two months we recovered 11 from Lagos back to Makurdi and we handed them to NAPTIP, last week, we recovered five trafficked children and took them to Jos, the previous week, we recovered 2 and on Wednesday last week we recovered 1 and we handed her to the parents in Zaki-Biam.
“We transported the girl from Lagos to Makurdi and from Makurdi to Zaki-Biam, and the Benue Links Manager at Zaki-Biam went to her house in Zaki-Biam and handed her over to the parents.
“So Benue Links is one of the transport companies that is working hand in hand with NAPTIP in Nigeria to check cases of trafficking.
“If you come to travel using our buses and you have children, we separate you from the children unless the children identify you properly. We invite NAPTIP officials to come and interrogate you properly if you are found culpable.
“As a transport company to stop trafficking from the state to other places, Benue Links has become the only company to recover victims found elsewhere.
“Infact, children who are trafficked from Benue to other states of the federation using other transport companies, once they are discovered, Benue Links is used to bring them back to Benue State free of charge, and then we reunite them with their families”.
Mr. Fanafa commended Governor Hyacinth Alia’s transformation drive at the company, particularly the donation of 100 buses to ease transportation problems faced by the people, the asphalting of the company premises to address the perennial flooding challenge and the recruitment of over 1010 qualified drivers, among others.
Other milestones recorded by the company in the past two years, he said, include the opening of new routes which were closed due to security challenges like the Sokoto, Maiduguri, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina and Ekiti states, respectively.
Mr Fanafa further maintained that the company under his purview has paid the full 75,000 minimum wage to staff of the company, adding that all salary arrears owed to staff have been paid, while retirees also have been paid.
