The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has urged the public to be alert because the operators in the crime-business of buying and selling of children, also know as “baby factories”, now adopt unsuspected tactics to get their crime-business running in Abia State.
NAPTIP Head of Operations in Abia, Peter Oba revealed that in a move to add credibility to their heinous crime, baby factories operators now have reverend fathers, reverend sisters, nurses, chiefs, community leaders as part of their syndicate, who help in removing suspicious eyes around their activities.
He also urged the villagers to be alert and mindful of any form of children homes around them, whether under the church or any private person with any portfolio, stressing that reporting such matters to NAPTIP will help keep children safe and reduce the menace.
Oba who was speaking during “A Special Community Conversation on Baby Factory and Other Forms of Trafficking in Persons” organized by the Onyedimma Foundation at Ugwunagbo Local Government Area of the state, said that inasmuch as baby factories are seen all over the country, the situation in Abia is alarming and calls serious sensitization in rural areas.
Representing Nkem Okafor, Abia State Commander of NAPTIP, Oba
commended Onyedimma Foundation for bringing the sensitization programme to the rural people whom he described as the people sitting on the keg of gunpowder prepared by human traffickers who come in disguise and most unsuspecting forms.
He urged heads of churches, community leaders, parents and guardians in Ugwunagbo to be careful of those who will come to the villages to promise their children, especially girls lucrative jobs abroad.
“Baby factories have taken a new dimension in Abia state, as people now use reverend fathers, reverend sisters, traditional chiefs that they believe will not be suspected. So, don’t trust anybody. Report every suspicious move.
“Baby factories are everywhere in Nigeria but it’s more in Abia State. We’ve been conducting our survey about this. These people are very smart, when you block one channel, they’ll try another.
“They send their agents back home to the villages during festivities to deceive girls to a follow them abroad after some powerful sugarcoated motivational but deceitful lines.
“They make you parents believe that in moving abroad, there are many jobs everywhere waiting for your children not knowing they’re being moved to become prostitutes or have their organs harvested.
“What we’re doing today through Onyedimma Foundation is what I call proactive prevention. Some other groups would have taken this event to a hotel in the city, but as you can see, we’re in a community hall speaking with you, the real people affected by the activities of these criminals.
“Be careful, Traffickers are not dull brains. They’re smart and well connected. So, don’t play into their arms. When your daughters get pregnant, out of wedlock please, stop throwing them out. It’s not the best option. These people are out there waiting to grab the opportunity to bring them into this evil business.”
Mrs Glory Onwuka, Executive Director, Onyedimma Foundation said that her foundation decided to take the fight and sensitization against Baby Factories to the rural areas because it discovered that due to poverty and lack of information, the criminals have built their strongest base of human buying and selling in villages.
“The activities of these criminals aren’t so new to those residing in cities, but our villages are vulnerable and should be aware of what these notorious criminals are coming to do. Our major focus is for the villagers to be alert and vigilant.
“We want them to see something and say something. We cannot continue to watch our children, especially girls used as factories for babies waiting to be sold.”
Ambassador Onyinyechi Joy Nwosu, Abia State Coordinator, Child Protection Network Nigeria lamented the rate of illegal adoption ongoing, stressing that serious energy must be channeled on that angle as children are now being sold like tomatoes and onions in open market.
“It’s the right of every child to be safe, and be protected, but the society somehow failed the child. We’re now at a point where children are being sold like tomatoes and onions in the market.
“Contrary to what the law says, people don’t want to adopt children legally. I can’t rule out stigmatization as the reason why people took to illegal means of adoption. People mock people who don’t have children and even make jest of some people that adopt. However, we must avoid this evil.
“As I speak to you, many young girls now use nine months pregnancy as business. They get pregnant just to give birth and sell the baby. It’s scary, it’s worrisome and if all sectors of the society doesn’t come together to end this, we’ll be in a huge trouble very soon.
“Here in Abia, last year we did about six family tracing which has seen us reunited three with their families. We have three more to go. They come here, take vulnerable young girls because of the economic situation of their various families and lack of information.
Obinna Nwagbara, Executive Director of Youth and Students Advocates for Development Initiative (YSAD), one of those collaborating with Onyedimma Foundation in the sensitization programme told the villagers that the Jakpa activities in Nigeria is helping human traffickers boost their businesses.
“Traffickers are now more in the rural areas because of lack of information. Let me tell you this, most of those people who come here to tell you that they want to take your children abroad especially the female ones are not real.
“Their intention is usually to take them to foreign lands for prostitution. Today our youths are being deceived with the Jakpa syndrome that moving abroad is a solution to their problems and at the end of the day, they do documents for them which they’ll cease when they get their and convert your children into prostitution and slavery.
“Please learn to resist these people for they are coming with cursed gifts. We chose to come to community for a reason because soon, the human hunters will start moving around looking for young girls and poor parents to deceive. Please, resist them.
“Use your community positions to oppose evil because every trafficked child is a stolen dream and every baby factory is a stain to our national image.”
A church leader from the community, Venerable Zephaniah Nwamkpa said that he is happy with the sensitization and thanked Mrs Glory Onwuka, Executive Director of Onyedimma Foundation for bringing the sensitization to them.
“I’m happy because right now, I have enough good information to dish out to my people and I’ll doy best to ensure that this message is well pushed beyond here, but a message that the church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion will push through our clergies.
“We need more of this sensitization so that our various churches will make it a topical issue so that the criminals will be resisted, reported and arrested whenever they step their foots here to deceive our people.”
Echezona Okafor.
