Coordinator of Child Protection Network in Plateau State, Mrs Sandra Chikan, has condemned the current trend of trafficking of children from the state.
Chikan, in a statement made available to newsmen in Jos, yesterday, stressed that they would no longer condone the illicit acts where children and young girls from Plateau State are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and then transported and forced to work or sold and trafficked for sexual exploitation.
Recently, over 10 teenage Nigerian girls around the ages of 15 and 16 were rescued by authorities after they were trafficked to Ghana for prostitution.
According to her, “Because of the alarming increase in cases of child trafficking, young girls from Plateau State have on several occasions been lured by syndicates to other countries and states for prostitution and child labour.
“Child Protection Network condemns this dastardly act, and we call on parents and guardians to be aware of these criminals.
“Parents and community members should not fail in their primary responsibility of protecting and training their children.”
She called on community leaders to report unlawful activity and crimes to law enforcement agencies.
“Government should explore options for implementing policies and engaging stakeholders in a concerted effort to combat this menace and criminality.”
Describing the situation as disturbing, Chikan called for stiffer punishment for perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.
“This ugly trend must stop; we have to rise up against it; we will no longer condone this situation,” she added.