NAPTIP Rescues 13 At Abuja Airport, Shuts Down Traffickers’ Hotel
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Human trafficking networks are evolving, using deception and false promises to lure victims into modern slavery. But NAPTIP is not resting on its oars in the fight.
In a major crackdown, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has intercepted 13 Nigerian women at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, just before they were flown to Baghdad, Iraq, where they were destined for sexual and labour exploitation.
The victims, aged 19 to 39, were recruited by unregistered labour agents operating between Nigeria and the Middle East, with promises of lucrative jobs abroad.
Acting on a tip-off from concerned partners who noticed suspicious movements at the airport, NAPTIP operatives swiftly intervened, rescuing the women from a grim fate.
The agency has expressed deep concerns over the rising activities of illegal recruiters and the dangers unsuspecting victims face.
In another operation, NAPTIP sealed a popular hotel in Kwali, Abuja, rescuing 11 underage girls who were being exploited for sex.
The hotel owner was arrested, while other staff members fled.
NAPTIP’s Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, lamented the level of deceit traffickers employ, warning that many victims sent abroad end up in dire conditions.
Some never receive promised salaries, while others return with life-threatening injuries.
“We cannot stand by and let more Nigerians fall into this trap,” she said, vowing to track down the criminals behind the syndicate.
NAPTIP has therefore, called on parents to be vigilant and urged all labour recruiters to obtain clearance certificates to prevent further exploitation of Nigerian citizens.
