Nation
Human Trafficking: NAPTIP Advises Guardians, Parents Against Rewards
The Zonal Commander, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Lagos Zone, Mrs Comfort Agboko, has implored parents and guardians to ignore huge rewards attached to local and international job offers to prevent wards and relations being trafficked.
Agboko gave the charge during a walk to commemorate and sensitise Lagos residents to human trafficking in Lagos on Friday .
The Tide’s source reports that the United Nations General Assembly designated July 30 annually as the “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons”.
The Lagos Zone Anti-Human Trafficking Agency boss confirmed that the agency witnessed an increase in fake job and scholarships advertisements on social media.
She said the traffickers leveraged on social media to fish unsuspecting victims which easily became preys because of huge rewards attached.
“Sometimes, the miscreants make nude videos of the victims and threaten to expose the nude images online.
“I plead with parents and guardians to always confirm the authenticity of such jobs with the agency,” she said
She canvassed the residents and all Nigerians to join the agency in fight the against traffickers.
She said, “Knowing the impact of this crime on lives and the country, we reach out and extend helping hands to survivors of this crime that prey on humans.
“It is pivotal to state here that human trafficking affects us directly or indirectly.
“We must take a stand to protect ourselves and family from falling prey to tricks of non-existent opportunities dangled by traffickers,” she said.
She further implored residents to report suspected cases of human trafficking through to NAPTIP or its short Code 627 and hotline 07030000203.
The Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi, has granted bail to 91 inmates.
He also completely discharged four others during the first-quarter jail delivery exercise for 2025 at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Katsina.
Speaking at the event yesterday, Justice Danladi explained that the Sub-Committee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres carefully assessed the cases before recommending the inmates for release.
Factors considered included age, length of time spent in custody, and medical conditions.
He further announced that going forward, the personal details and photographs of released inmates would be officially recorded to ensure proper documentation and accountability.
Addressing the freed individuals, he urged them to stay on the right side of the law, emphasising that another chance at clemency might not be available if they reoffend.
The Katsina State Controller of Corrections, CC Umar Baba, praised the initiative, stating that such interventions ease congestion, improve prison conditions, and support rehabilitation efforts.
He also called on judges and magistrates to consider alternative sentencing options to prevent unnecessary detentions and allow correctional facilities to focus on reforming and reintegrating offenders into society.
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has struck out murder charges against Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Queen Naomi Silekunola; the owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat; and principal of Islamic High School, Abdullahi Fasasi.
The Tide’s source recalls that the trio have been facing murder charges following the December 2024 children’s event stampede that led to the death of 35 children.
Justice B. K. Olawoyin delivering judgment yesterday, ruled that holding the defendants liable could discourage the public from engaging in humanitarian activities.
The court dismissed the four count charge, which included acceleration of death, conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm and failure to provide adequate medical facilities and security.
The Nigerian Military high command has stated that it is unaware of any community in the Northwest negotiating or entering peace agreements with bandits and terrorists for protection.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, dismissed reports suggesting such peace deals.
He questioned why any community would resort to negotiations, given the sustained military offensives against terrorist groups.
“The military is carrying out its operations in line with established protocols for internal security. If any community claims to be seeking peace with bandits, the military does not support that,” Kangye asserted.
He further emphasised that joint military operations, in collaboration with hybrid forces and other security agencies, have remained relentless in tackling terrorism and organised crime.
Throughout the past week, troops conducted a series of combat patrols, raids, ambushes, clearance operations, and search-and-rescue missions, resulting in significant successes.
According to Kangye, several terrorists were neutralised, their collaborators were captured, and kidnapped victims were successfully rescued.
