A bus that was said to be conveying suspected victims of human trafficking with underage children was intercepted by the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Ebonyi State Command on Wednesday.
The 18-seater bus was intercepted along Edo State from Bekwara in Cross River state.
Confirming the report was the State Acting Comptroller of NIS, Barrister Okey Ezugwu, who said the bus with registration number Lagos LDD-468XH with the emblem of ‘Ondo State Sunshine Express’ boldly written on it had 18 passengers travelling in it.
He stated that some of the victims disclosed that few of them were being transported to Ondo while others to Benin where they will work in a Cocoa plantation.
Ezugwu expressed dissatisfaction over the rate of child trafficking in Nigeria adding that it is a violation and an abuse of child rights for minors. He said that the parents of the children must have been part of the arrangement for their children to work in cocoa farm all for the sake of money.
He advised parents to desist from such wicked act and stop exposing their children to danger.
