 has rescued 24 victims of human trafficking and arrested five..){kind=link}
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 24 victims of human trafficking and arrested five suspected traffickers, including a retired senior officer of a prominent law enforcement agency.
This happened during a raid at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The operation, carried out under the leadership of NAPTIP Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, is part of the agency’s renewed crackdown on trafficking networks targeting recruitment hubs, trafficking spots, and transit routes across Nigeria.
A statement by NAPTIP National Press Officer, Mr Vincent Adekoye, confirmed the arrests and described the operation as a decisive step in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to curb human trafficking.
“Following a report of increased cases of recruitment and trafficking of Nigerians for various forms of exploitation both within and outside the country, NAPTIP ordered a step-up surveillance and monitoring of all parts of the country with greater attention on motor parks, waterways in the coastal states, as well as international airports,” the Agency said.
It said; “The latest raid followed a tip-off from concerned stakeholders and partners who alerted to an influx of suspected human trafficking victims at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.”
The victims, aged between 15 and 26, were recruited from Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Ondo and Rivers States, and were being trafficked to Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan.
Bello expressed concern over the activities of traffickers and unregistered labour recruiters who continue to lure young Nigerians with false promises.
“We remain saddened by the deceitful activities of these traffickers who recruit and traffic our people for exploitation. NAPTIP will continue to pursue and dismantle these networks to protect Nigerians,” she said.
The Agency reiterated its commitment to strengthening surveillance and collaborating with stakeholders to combat human trafficking across the country.
PIAK