A local anti-human trafficking activist, Zege’Orkwande Sughnen Yaaya, has reported that his surveillance cameras at the Otukpo NURTW park captured two girls from Ikpayongo, aged 14 and 16, attempting to travel at night.
According to Yaaya, international traffickers have adapted their routes, abandoning parks in Makurdi and Gboko for new pathways. Victims are now being moved directly from Zaki Biam parks to Ogoja or Abuja, while others are transported from Gboko and Makurdi to Otukpo parks before being taken out of the state, with Abuja serving as the current major exit point.
In response to these shifts, Yaaya said he has relocated his cameras to strategic locations including Otukpo, Zaki Biam, Cross River, and Abuja. The two minors were apprehended at one of Otukpo’s NURTW parks while trying to board transport to Lagos.
The activist commended efforts by security agencies and called on Comr. Gwaza Ahula to expand support and surveillance across Zone C NURTW parks. He stated that he has already requested a contact in Otukpo to conduct a thorough investigation, with the case handed over to the Otukpo Divisional Police for transfer to the Benue State Police Command in Makurdi.
“We are ending Human Trafficking activities in Benue state,” Yaaya declared.
The incident highlights the ongoing battle against human trafficking networks operating in Benue State and the adaptive tactics used by traffickers to evade detection in transport hubs.
