NAPTIP Cracks Down On Human Trafficking: Seven Victims Rescued In Abuja

Operation in Zamaru: Seven Victims Saved from Human Trafficking

In a bold move to combat human trafficking, operatives from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) recently conducted a raid at a hotel in Zamaru, close to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The operation resulted in the rescue of seven individuals who were allegedly being trafficked to Iraq for exploitation. This dramatic intervention underscores the agency's commitment to dismantling networks that exploit vulnerable people.

The raid was prompted by credible intelligence provided by concerned stakeholders who noticed suspicious activities involving young girls and unfamiliar men at the hotel. As part of the operation, the hotel manager was also apprehended. This action sends a strong message that such activities will not be tolerated, and those involved will face the full force of the law.

A Broader Initiative to Combat Trafficking

In a press release issued on Sunday, NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, emphasized that this operation is just one part of a larger effort to dismantle human trafficking networks using Abuja’s airport as a transit hub. The agency has been increasingly vigilant, and in recent months, it has intercepted at least 60 suspected trafficking victims at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. These individuals were en route to unstable and conflict-ridden regions in the Middle East, particularly Iraq.

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Adekoye explained that the rescued individuals included six victims from Lagos and one from Delta State. These individuals had been misled with promises of caregiving jobs in Baghdad, only to find out they were being trafficked to Iraq. This revelation highlights the deceptive tactics used by traffickers to lure vulnerable people into dangerous situations.

Victims Share Their Stories

One of the victims, speaking to Vanguard, tearfully recounted her experience, saying, “They told me I would work as a house help in Baghdad and earn a good salary every month. I believed them because I thought Baghdad was in another country. They never told me I was going to Iraq.” This heart-wrenching account sheds light on the false promises and misinformation used by traffickers to exploit innocent people.

Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, expressed deep concern about the involvement of certain service providers in facilitating human trafficking. In a statement delivered by Josiah Emerole, the Director of Research and Programme Development, Bello warned that the agency would take decisive legal action against anyone facilitating these crimes. Emerole emphasized that providing shelter to victims of human trafficking is a criminal offense under Nigeria’s anti-trafficking laws.

Hotels as Staging Grounds for Trafficking

Bello further revealed that hotels are often used as staging grounds where victims are housed before being illegally transported out of the country. During this time, they receive instructions on how to avoid detection by disguising their identities and providing false information to law enforcement officials at the airport. This practice not only highlights the complexity of the trafficking networks but also the complicity of certain service providers.

Bello stated, “It is disheartening that some service providers in the country facilitate human trafficking by offering their facilities for recruitment, transportation, and harboring of victims. The hotel in question is believed to be a gathering point for victims being trafficked to notorious destination countries. The manager of the hotel is currently under interrogation, and we are intensifying our efforts to track down other members of the trafficking gang working with criminal elements in Iraq.”

She added, “Due to the unpatriotic actions of some service providers, the agency will invoke the appropriate sections of its law to prosecute them. Harboring suspected victims of human trafficking is a serious offense under the trafficking law, and we will not hesitate to act.”

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Ongoing Efforts to Combat Trafficking

NAPTIP is currently working tirelessly to track and arrest other members of the trafficking network, including their collaborators in Iraq. The agency remains committed to protecting vulnerable individuals and dismantling the networks that exploit them. This operation in Zamaru is just one step in a larger campaign to bring justice to victims and hold traffickers accountable for their crimes.

As NAPTIP continues its fight against human trafficking, it calls on all stakeholders, including hotel owners, law enforcement agencies, and the general public, to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that no one falls victim to these heinous crimes.