Immigration Rescues 16 Children From Trafficking In Ekiti State (Photo)

No fewer than 16 children have been rescued from Child labour by the Nigerian Immigration Service in the last four months.

The NIS Comptroller in Ekiti, Mrs Oluremi Talabi, made the revelation in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, when a family from Netherlands paid her a visit.

Mrs Talabi stressed that no effort will be spared in tackling child trafficking and labour in Ekiti.

Speaking further on the rescued children, Talabi noted that of all the 16, only one of them was a boy and they were all between the ages of five and 14.

She also added that the rescued children had been re-united with their parents and guardians.

“Within this year alone, we have rescued 16 children from where they were being used for hard labour. When they are supposed to be in school, they would be washing plates, doing sorts of work and probably will be the last to go to bed.

“The sad thing is that people are going beyond child labour, they are using them for prostitution. We will keep fighting this until we record all round success.

“When children are trafficked, they are transported illegally and they are subjected to inhuman treatment because they know they can’t come out.”

The visiting family (the Boots) who were were led by the Director, Social Welfare in Ekiti, Dr Ayodele Ibikunle had adopted two children, Joshua, 18, and Victor, 14, in Ekiti in October 13, 2015 and had brought the boys home to see their parents in Ikere Ekiti town.

While Dr Ibikunle stated that about 60 children had been adopted from Ekiti state in total and taken to the Netherland and Sweden, Mrs Talabi expressed delight over the Boots’ visit, noting that it would help in erasing some of the misgivings about the adoption of children.