The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has rescued 202 victims of human trafficking in Katsina State from January to July 2026. This shows that traffickers still pose a big threat, even with ongoing awareness campaigns.
Musa Aliyu, the Katsina State Commander of NAPTIP, shared this with our correspondent on Thursday. He spoke during the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which is observed every year on July 30.
Aliyu said the rescued victims include 147 females and 55 males. The agency is also working hard to find and support other trafficking victims in the state.
This year’s event focused on educating people about the dangers of human trafficking and encouraging everyone to join the fight against it. “Today, being the 30th of July, is a day set aside by the United Nations to commemorate the fight against human trafficking. The goal 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 started its activities before the global event. They held public awareness programmes, including radio talks, television interviews, and a road walk in Katsina.
“We began before today with several radio programmes. Today, I also had an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority. We also did a road walk from the Katsina GRA Flyover to the NATO Park, covering about three kilometres, to create awareness,” he explained.
Aliyu pointed out that transport operators are key partners in the fight against trafficking. They often see victims and suspects while moving around.
“The agency met with transport union leaders during the awareness campaign. We got their commitment to report any suspicious movements that could be linked to trafficking.
“Human trafficking is everybody’s business. It is not just NAPTIP that can fight it. We are inviting all citizens to join us in this fight because traffickers use different tricks to lure their victims,” he said.
He highlighted that women and children are the most at risk. He urged the public to stay alert and report any suspected trafficking cases.
The Katsina NAPTIP boss expressed worry about the rising trend of internal trafficking in the state. He noted that domestic trafficking is now more common than international trafficking.
“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 marked every year to raise awareness about the struggles of trafficking victims. It also aims to promote their rights and encourage governments, institutions, and communities to strengthen their efforts against human trafficking.
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