The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) have busted a transnational organised human trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects.
The operatives also claimed to have rescued 20 victims who had been trafficked from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and Togo to Nigeria for various forms of labour exploitation.
This was revealed in a statement issued by NAPTIP Press Officer Mr Vincent Adekoye in Abuja on Friday.
According to the operatives, the apprehended suspects are part of an organised criminal network operating in Nigeria.
Adekoye disclosed that the operation, which was carried out in the Federal Capital Territory, Osun, and Nasarawa, targeted criminal cells and their kingpins.
“The arrest of these suspects was a result of the directive by the Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello, to increase surveillance within border communities across the country.
“The move is to halt the activities of some suspected crime syndicates who are believed to have infiltrated Nigeria from certain African countries.
“NAPTIP has also strengthened collaboration with sister law enforcement agencies and partners to nip the unwholesome activities of the criminal gangs in the bud,” he said.
According to Adekoye, during questioning, the rescued victims claimed that members of the gang tricked them with promises of high-paying jobs in Nigeria.
He stated that these victims had their papers completed for onwards travel to various destinations in Europe, but they were subjected to various forms of labour exploitation upon arrival in Nigeria.
In a similar event, Adekoye stated that NAPTIP, in collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal, rescued a middle-aged Nigerian victim of human trafficking in Dakar.
He stated that the victim came to the NAPTIP Lagos Command in Ikeja following a near-fatal encounter with reckless traffickers in one of Senegal’s rural communities.
According to Adekoye, the victim was misled into going to Senegal with the promise of a job as a hairstylist and make-up artist.
He stated the victim eventually realised that her supervisor, whom she referred to as ‘Madam Rose’, was involved in child/sex trafficking.
“She was subsequently forced into prostitution.
“When she refused to comply, her employer confiscated her identification documents and threw her out, leaving her unable to move freely or return home.
“She was left stranded somewhere in Kidira, Senegal.
“She reported that her trafficker is diabolical and has been tormenting her mentally and emotionally to the point where her sanity is at risk,” Adekoye said.
When asked about the development, the NAPTIP D-G remarked that the effective arrest of the traffickers and rescue of the victims reflected a growing collaboration among law enforcement authorities.
“The operation was strategic and targeted at the transnational organised criminal elements that are now making Nigeria an attractive human trafficking destination.
“This is just the beginning of our planned onslaught on them.
“These unpatriotic individuals move from one neighbouring country to the other, deceiving victims with promises of gainful employment in Nigeria.
“As soon as they bring the victims to Nigeria, they subject them to various forms of exploitation after collecting all their means of identification and preventing them from having access to any form of communication.
“These operations will be a continuous exercise, and we are also focusing on other parts of the country to rid the nation of all activities of these criminal syndicates,” Adamu-Bello stressed.
The NAPTIP boss expressed gratitude to the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, and agency operatives for their ongoing support.
She also thanked the Office of the National Security Adviser for providing a platform to strengthen inter-agency collaboration in Nigeria.
Adamu-Bello criticised the rescued victim from Senegal, stating that she is a graduate of a prestigious Nigerian university.
“She was approached by a recruiter who showed up in her life suddenly like a timely helper.
“She was promised a hairstylist job in Senegal with an expected monthly salary that would make her rich within a short time.
“Sadly, when she got there, the reverse was the case.
“She is lucky to be alive to tell the story, even though extremely traumatised,” the NAPTIP boss said.
The D-G stated that NAPTIP had launched a manhunt for the Senegal victim trafficker and had contacted sister law enforcement organisations in the nation to catch the so-called ‘Madam Rose’.
She stated that all traffickers would be apprehended and suffer the full fury of the law and thanked the Nigeria Embassy in Dakar and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their cooperation.
Adamu-Bello also expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Immigration Service staff at the border who assisted in receiving the victim upon her arrival.
According to her, NAPTIP has rescued and received 21 victims from neighbouring countries in the past week.
