A transport company, Benue Links Nigeria Limited, has intercepted at least 238 persons believed to be victims or potential victims of human trafficking and facilitated their return to their communities.
The intervention, according to the company, forms part of its ongoing efforts to prevent traffickers from exploiting its transport network to move children and other vulnerable persons out of Benue State.
The General Manager of Benue Links, Alexander Fanafa, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent at his office in Makurdi.
Fanafa said that as of August 24, 2026, the company had identified and intercepted 238 individuals suspected to have been trafficked or at risk of being trafficked before arranging for their return and reunification with their families.
He explained that the company had strengthened its monitoring system by deploying officers to its terminals and training security personnel to pay closer attention to movements considered suspicious, especially those involving children.
According to him, particular attention is given to situations where an adult is travelling with children who do not share the same surname.
He explained that “whenever an adult travels with children bearing different surnames, monitoring officers become particularly interested and conduct further checks to establish the relationship between the adult and the children, their destination and the purpose of the journey”.
“We try to find out the relationship between them, where they are going and why they are travelling together,” Fanafa added.
He noted that such checks had resulted in the arrest of a number of individuals allegedly involved in facilitating or participating in child trafficking.
Fanafa said individuals apprehended in connection with suspected trafficking activities were subsequently transferred to appropriate security agencies, including the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the Department of State Services in Benue, for investigation and other necessary legal action.
The General Manager also revealed that Governor Hyacinth Alia had directed Benue Links to provide free transportation for genuine trafficking victims rescued outside the state who needed assistance returning home.
According to him, the arrangement is not restricted to Benue indigenes, as any person whose status as a trafficking victim has been properly established and documented by the relevant authorities can benefit from the initiative.
He said, “Once it is legitimately identified that you were trafficked and the security agencies have documented the details of your person, Benue Links will assist you to get back to your destination.”
He disclosed that the company had previously helped victims rescued in cities including Lagos and Benin return to Benue, with security agencies in some cases coordinating their transfer for eventual repatriation.
Fanafa cited a recent case involving 11 victims who were brought back from Benin before being handed over to the relevant authorities and reunited with their families.
He added that another batch of approximately 15 victims rescued in Lagos was transported to Benue and subsequently handed over to the DSS.
Beyond providing transportation, Fanafa said Benue Links also ensures that rescued persons are referred to NAPTIP and other relevant organisations for rehabilitation, counselling and reintegration into their families and communities.
He praised the wife of the Tor Tiv, Professor Ayati, for her continued interest in the welfare of trafficking survivors.
According to him, she had received some of the returned victims, encouraged them and supported them with basic skills aimed at helping them recover from the effects of their experiences.
Fanafa explained that many victims were lured away from their communities with promises of employment, education or improved living conditions, only to discover that they had been deceived.
Some, he said, had their mobile phones taken from them after reaching their destinations and were subjected to restrictions on their movements.
He further disclosed that certain victims were moved through unauthorised routes and, in some cases, taken beyond Nigeria’s borders to countries such as Mali after first being transported through major cities within the country.
According to the General Manager, accounts given by rescued victims had helped authorities gain a better understanding of the tactics allegedly employed by traffickers to recruit, deceive and transport children and other vulnerable young people.
He said Benue Links was also working with immigration authorities, security agencies and other stakeholders to raise awareness about human trafficking and the dangers associated with irregular migration.
Fanafa disclosed that immigration officials had made several visits to the company’s terminals to educate passengers, traders and other members of the public, particularly during the early morning period when passenger traffic is usually high.
He explained that the company was committed to implementing the state government’s directive because of the administration’s concern about the safety and wellbeing of residents.
Fanafa therefore appealed to members of the public to remain alert and promptly report unusual movements involving children.
He assured that Benue Links would continue to work with security, humanitarian and other relevant agencies to prevent human trafficking, protect vulnerable persons and ensure rescued victims are safely reunited with their families.