The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has rescued a 12-years-old girl child reportedly deceived into marriage to a 50-year-old farmer in Makurdi, Benue State.
According to Punch in recent reports, the rescue of the minor followed the alarm raised Tuesday by one Lucky Iduh and a follow up by Makurdi based humanist, Ukan Kurugh which attracted the attention of the NAPTIP officials in Makurdi.
The girl thought she was being taken to town to further her education but on reaching the farmer’s house, she discovered that he has been married as his third wife.
The Makurdi Zonal commander of NAPTIP, Mrs. Gloria Bai, on Wednesday, said the victim was married off by her family.
Bai preliminary investigations revealed that she was in the forced marriage for about three months, as the farmer abused her during this period.
She also added that after this discovery she put in protective custody and the agency is doing every this possible to arrest the farmer who is now off the hook.
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Bai said;
“Yes we have rescued her. We got this report from a concerned citizen and contrary to media reports that NAPTIP was slow and unenthusiastic, we swiftly went into action to search for the address where the girl was and when we got the address, we planned to go first thing in the morning so that we could get both the man and the victim and by 6am, we were there.
Unfortunately, the rain came and we were able to rescue the girl, but the man had gone out. We are on it and our officers are already on surveillance to get the man.
The girl will also be taken to a hospital for medical examination and she will undergo proper counselling, We will see how she came to be in his house and if he has contravened the law, we will charge him to court.”
