Northern Regional Police Warn of Rising Child Trafficking Cases

The Northern Regional Police Command has expressed serious concern over the increasing number of child trafficking cases recorded in the region. DCOP Wisdom Lavoe, the Northern Regional Police Commander, described the situation as deeply troubling.

DCOP Lavoe revealed this during a training programme organized by the International Justice Mission (IJM) in Tamale. He noted that many children trafficked are very young, often unaware of where they are being taken or the conditions they will face.

“You will see children aged 10 and 11 being trafficked to other parts of the country and made to engage in hard labour, or what we call child labour,” he said. “If you have encountered one of these cases, you will understand the bitterness of the issue.”

He further explained that traffickers sometimes transport children in overcrowded vehicles, with minimal or no supervision. “Sometimes a full truck is loaded with these children with only one person accompanying them, or sometimes nobody at all, only the driver, because someone is at the receiving end waiting to receive the children,” he detailed.

According to DCOP Lavoe, these trafficked children are vulnerable to extreme hardship, including hunger, disease, and other forms of exploitation. In response, the police have established a dedicated Child Trafficking Unit to specifically address these cases.

“The police have designated a full unit called the Child Trafficking Unit, purposely to handle some of these cases, and there is a directorate responsible for that,” he stated.

DCOP Lavoe appealed to journalists and all stakeholders to collaborate in the fight against this disturbing social problem.

Meanwhile, Worlanyo Forster, the National Director of Advocacy and Partnership at IJM, said their organisation focuses on combating human trafficking, with a particular emphasis on protecting children.

“We are working closely with stakeholders to rescue children from forced labour, provide support and care to survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice,” Mr. Forster explained. IJM also collaborates with law enforcement, providing training to enhance their capacity to handle trafficking cases.

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