Rescued Ebonyi children after their repatriation from Anambra as the state begins rehabilitation and family reunification efforts.
The Ebonyi State Government has stepped up efforts to tackle child trafficking after rescuing and repatriating 28 children allegedly trafficked for child labour to Otolo in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
The children are now in the care of the Ministry of Women Affairs following a joint operation involving the state government and the Office of the Wife of the Governor.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Felicia Nwamkpuma, said the children will receive rehabilitation, skills training, education support and psychosocial care before being reunited with their families.
The intervention highlights the growing challenge of child trafficking in parts of Nigeria, where children are often exploited for forced labour and other forms of abuse.
Rather than treating the rescue as a one-off operation, the state says it is investing in long-term measures to reduce the risk of re-trafficking through education, social protection and family support.
The government also appealed to residents to report suspected cases of child trafficking, exploitation and abuse to the appropriate authorities.
It urges parents to take advantage of the state’s free basic education programme and encouraged school-age children engaged in street hawking outside Ebonyi to return home for safer learning opportunities.
Officials say protecting children requires stronger community vigilance, sustained public awareness and coordinated action by government, families and law enforcement agencies to prevent vulnerable children from falling into the hands of traffickers.
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