The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) has reunited no fewer than 22 survivors of Human Trafficking with their families in Sokoto State.

Mr. Abubakar Bashiru, NAPTIP’s Zonal Commander, Sokoto Command, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the reunion in Sokoto on Thursday.

He said the survivors were intercepted at the Niger Republic and handed over to NAPTIP by the Nigerian Immigration Service on Aug. 30.

“We have concluded investigation and counseling on the survivors and today they are to be reunited with their families through their various community leaders resident in Sokoto.

“All the survivor’s families were contacted and agreed to be reunited as follows; Lagos, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, and Ekiti- to Yoruba Community leaders, Imo to Igbo community leaders, and Delta and Edo to Edo Community leaders.

“However, from our investigation, we found out that some of the survivors were encouraged by their family members to embark on such a dangerous journey,” he said.

Basharu, therefore, urged parents and guardians to ensure proper monitoring and counseling of their children in order not to be easily lured into embarking on such a dangerous journey.

He assured that the agency would continue to track the activities of the perpetrators with the support of the survivors and ensure they were prosecuted for the act.

Responding, Mr. James Olurunfemi, the President General of Yoruba Community, Sokoto, described the situation as disheartening.

“We are not really happy that our children are involved in human trafficking.

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“Yorubas are not known for such illegal activities, because we instill good values in our children which encourage other tribes in the country to want to emulate us.

“So, basically as Yoruba leaders, we feel very bad about the current development and I want to assure you that proper measures will be taken to address the situation,” he said.