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National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), yesterday, rescued five under-aged labourers and sealed a building under construction in Enugu.
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The construction site, a four-storey building is located at N0. 1 Dr. Alex Ekwueme Street, Independence Layout, Enugu. South East Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Nneka Ajie, said the raid followed an intelligence gathered by the agency that some under-aged children were being exploited by their ‘principal.’
“We got a tip-off that some children are being brought into the state for child and exploitative labour. We carried out surveillance and raided the location.
“We succeeded in rescuing five minors between the ages of eight and 17 and 12 adults who were minors as at the time they were recruited and brought to the state four years ago,” she said.
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She said the victims were brought from Benin Republic by a man identified as Francis, “who is now at large”. Ajie described the incident as modern day slavery, which would never be allowed to take roots in the state.
She added that the building is to be used as a hotel and that they have got the name of the alleged owner.
“We are currently profiling the name of the alleged owner and will do the needful at the right time. Meanwhile, the site is currently under seal,” Ajie said.
The minors when interviewed said that they had been in the country for a long time and were taken to work across the country by one Francis.
They said they were paid N3,000 per week, while the adults among them were paid N10, 000 weekly. The Guardian learnt that workmen who do such works at construction sites are paid N7,000 daily , while those who serve them are paid N4, 500 daily.
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