The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons says it rescued 202 victims of human trafficking in Katsina State between January and July 2026, underscoring the persistent threat posed by traffickers despite ongoing awareness campaigns.
The Katsina State Commander of NAPTIP, Musa Aliou, disclosed this to our Correspondent on Thursday while commemorating the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, observed annually on July 30.
According to him, the rescued victims include 147 females and 55 males, while the agency continues to intensify efforts to identify and support other victims of trafficking across the state.
He said this year’s commemoration was aimed at educating the public on the dangers of human trafficking and encouraging collective action against the crime.
“Today, being the 30th of July, is a day set aside by the United Nations to commemorate the fight against human trafficking. The essence of today is to unite and educate the general public on the dangers and evil of human trafficking,” he said.
The state commander explained that NAPTIP began activities ahead of the global observance through a series of public enlightenment programmes, including radio discussions, television interviews and a road walk across Katsina metropolis.
“We started before today with several radio programmes. Today, I also had an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). We equally conducted a road walk from the Katsina GRA Flyover to the NATO park, covering about three kilometres, to create awareness,” he said.
Aliyu noted that transport operators are strategic partners in the fight against trafficking because they often encounter victims and suspects during transit.
“The agency met with transport union leaders during the awareness campaign and secured their commitment to report suspicious movements that could be linked to trafficking.
“Human trafficking is everybody’s business. It is not only NAPTIP that can fight it. We are calling on all citizens to join hands with us to combat this menace because traffickers use different tricks to lure their victims,” he said.
He identified women and children as the most vulnerable groups, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspected trafficking cases.
The Katsina NAPTIP Boss expressed concern over the growing trend of internal trafficking in Katsina, noting that domestic trafficking has become more prevalent than international trafficking in the state.
“In this part of the country, especially in Katsina State, internal trafficking is more common than international trafficking. We have educated the public on how to identify trafficking and the different forms it takes,” he added.
The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is observed annually to raise awareness of the plight of trafficking victims and promote the protection of their rights while encouraging governments, institutions and communities to strengthen efforts against human trafficking.