The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 24 victims of human trafficking and arrested five suspected traffickers during a special operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The operation, led by NAPTIP Director General, Binta Adamu Bello disrupted what the agency described as a growing trafficking network using the airport as a transit point. Among those apprehended was a retired senior officer of a Nigerian law enforcement agency alleged to be deeply involved in the syndicate.
According to NAPTIP, the victims aged between 15 and 26 were recruited from states including Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers. They were being trafficked to Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan. Some of the victims said they were misled with promises of jobs in Europe, while others were unaware of their intended destinations.
One victim recounted how her father, now among those arrested, deceived her into believing she had secured a supermarket job abroad. “If this is what awaits me there, I will not go. I would rather stay and make it here,” she said after counseling at NAPTIP headquarters.
Speaking after the operation, Bello expressed concern over the increasing involvement of unregistered recruiters and even family members in trafficking. She vowed to sustain raids at airports, seaports, and land borders.
“We cannot allow traffickers to exploit Nigerians under any guise. Our commitment is firm, we will hunt them wherever they operate,” she declared.
The NAPTIP DG commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Department of State Services (DSS), immigration officers, and other security partners for their collaboration in the successful operation.