The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said it has successfully rescued 68 victims and apprehended 62 suspected human traffickers in Akwa Ibom State in 2025. The Uyo Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Ubong Ekwere, revealed these during a briefing in Uyo, the state capital.
According to Mr. Ekwere, the victims included 51 females and 17 males, with five victims still in NAPTIP’s shelter. This group comprises two males, one female, and two babies, with the remaining victims having been safely reunited with their families.
During the year, the Akwa Ibom Command handled 58 trafficking cases, with 47 cases being processed directly by the Uyo Command, and additional cases transferred from the Police, DSS, and Nigeria Immigration Service. The command successfully secured two convictions, with 22 cases still pending in court.
Ekwere expressed hope for more convictions in the coming year to act as a deterrent to traffickers and emphasized that the agency would continue its aggressive sensitization campaign across churches, mosques, schools, and rural communities to raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking.
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Despite these efforts, Mr. Ekwere highlighted that Akwa Ibom remained a hotspot for trafficking, particularly the alarming rise in the sale of babies. He urged parents and guardians to be vigilant, warning them about the growing trend of traffickers exploiting vulnerable children, often under the guise of offering better opportunities.
The zonal commander called for stronger collaboration between state and local governments, security agencies, and civil society to combat this growing menace, emphasizing that the federal government could not address the problem alone. He also appealed for support from local and international organizations, particularly to address the lack of operational vehicles that hinder the agency’s ability to monitor all 31 local government areas of the state.
In his final remarks, Mr. Ekwere warned human traffickers that the state and country were no longer safe for such crimes and called on all stakeholders to join forces with NAPTIP to eradicate human trafficking, especially child theft, from Akwa Ibom.
