The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued three babies from suspected traffickers in Abuja.
The NAPTIP’s Director-General, Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi, confirmed the development while briefing stakeholders on the activities of the agency on Wednesday in Abuja.
She said the children who were between seven and nine months old were rescued by NAPTIP’s Rapid Response Unit at different spots in the Nyanya area of Abuja.
The NAPTIP chief added that the children were allegedly given out by their mothers to beg for alms in the nation’s capital city.
Waziri-Azi said: “These suspected trafficking syndicate specialised in collecting babies with the connivance of other members of the gang, hire out these innocent children and position them at the roadsides at busy intersections and bus stops, where they use them for alms begging.
“They will detail another older child to watch over the children as they move them from one point to another and also to ensure that the proceeds of the begging were collected at intervals.
“These infants are exposed to harsh weather conditions on a daily basis in a dusty and dirty environment even in the face of vehicular movement and other forms of abuse without proper feeding
