This is contained in a statement signed by the NAPTIP assistant Head of Press and Public Relations Unit Vincent Adekoye, on Tuesday.

The governor made the pledge while receiving NAPTIP management led by its Director-General, Sen. Basheer Mohammed in Kano, ahead of the inauguration of the state task force against trafficking.

He said that human trafficking is endemic in Kano state due to its status as an emerging business hub, coupled with other developments like road, rail line and others.

“We welcome the idea of the state task force on human trafficking. We shall partner with your agency and the task force will be given the desired support.

“The previous management of NAPTIP had narrowed their approach to issues of human trafficking alone.

”It is commendable you have identified other societal problems and ready to tackle them,” Ganduje said.

Governor Ganduje also lauded the NAPTIP boss for his zeal, commitment and innovation in the agency which he said had led to the ongoing repositioning as well as hinting the state the mandate of the agency.

The DG revealed that the task force would be carrying out war on counter trafficking initiative and made other component of the awareness about agency.

He said part of the task force aim was to secure support of critical stakeholders and other partners in the fight human trafficking menace and other social problems in the country.

The NAPTIP boss disclosed that Kano state was highly endemic based on the statistics available to the agency in the area victims rescue, arrest and prosecution of offenders.

“The problem of human trafficking and Irregular migration have become national and international concern.

“Large number of Nigerians are trapped in sexual and labour exploitation in various African and European countries.

“Hundreds have continued to die in transit along the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea. in 2020, reports emerged about human farms in parts of Libya where black African migrants are allegedly kept in cages like animals.

“Organs like eyes, kidneys and lungs are harvested to service the medical needs of Europe, from inception to date, NAPTIP has rescued a total of 16, 277 victims of human trafficking,” he said as reported by Daily Nigerian.

According to him, out of that figure 14,474 trafficked, 1,287 are from Kano state.