Hotel Raid In Onitsha Uncovers Trafficking Ring, 17 Victims Rescued
Sunny David Onitsha
Behind the bright lights of busy streets, some of the darkest crimes hide in plain sight.
That grim reality played out in Onitsha, Anambra State, after operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) raided a popular hotel in the 3-3 area and rescued 17 suspected victims of human trafficking.
The operation, carried out with military support, led to the arrest of four suspects, with two others picked up over alleged involvement in inter-state baby trafficking.
NAPTIP disclosed that four of the rescued victims tested positive for HIV and are now receiving counselling and medical care with support from the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency.
Investigators said the victims, recruited from Benue, Imo, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom States, were trafficked to Onitsha and forced into prostitution, compelled to remit daily proceeds to their handlers.
One survivor recounted being lured by a promise of a job, only to be coerced into sex work. Another alleged that their trafficker confiscated prescribed drugs and punished them for seeking medical help.
NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, condemned the abuse and confirmed that a manhunt has been launched for the suspected ringleader, while the hotel owner has been invited for questioning.
She reaffirmed the agency’s resolve to dismantle trafficking networks and bring collaborators to justice.
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