The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has intensified its clampdown on human trafficking with a special operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, that led to the rescue of 24 victims and the arrest of five suspected traffickers.
The raid, personally led by the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, lasted nearly six hours and disrupted the activities of a trafficking syndicate allegedly operating within the airport corridor.
Among those arrested was a retired senior officer of a major law enforcement agency, said to be a key member of the group.
According to NAPTIP, the victims aged between 15 and 26 were recruited from Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers States, and were en route to Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan.
Many could only communicate in their local dialects and some were unaware of their actual destinations.
One victim, whose father was among the suspects arrested, revealed she had been deceived into believing she was being taken to work in a supermarket in Baghdad.
“I thank the DG and her officers for rescuing me.
I would rather struggle here than suffer in another country,” she said.
Speaking after the operation, Bello condemned the actions of the suspects, describing it as “incredibly unbelievable” that a parent could facilitate the trafficking of his own child.
“I am impressed with the outcome of this operation because we arrested five suspected traffickers who were set to exploit our citizens in tension-soaked countries, particularly in the Middle East,” she stated.
“NAPTIP will sustain its operations until this illicit trade in human beings is dismantled.”
The DG commended the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Department of State Services (DSS), airport security personnel, immigration officers, and airline operators for their support during the exercise.
She reiterated the agency’s commitment to protect Nigerians from exploitation, stressing that traffickers would be pursued and prosecuted wherever they operate in the country.
Written by Niran Odufayo