NAPTIP Rescues 25 Women from Human Trafficking Attempt in Abuja

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 25 women suspected to be victims of a human trafficking syndicate in Abuja, as they were being prepared for labour exploitation in Saudi Arabia.

According to a statement by NAPTIP’s press officer, Vincent Adekoye, the victims—aged between 17 and 43—were intercepted on Monday in front of a popular hotel in Wuse II, Abuja. They had reportedly gathered there to meet with their trafficker, who promised them domestic work in the Middle East.

The women were recruited from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina states under the false pretense of well-paying jobs abroad.

One of the victims recounted to NAPTIP:

“Some people came to our village and told my parent that they would assist me to travel abroad to work as a house help in Saudi Arabia.
They assured us that the job there will pay us very well, and we will be able to come and take care of our parents and families.
They asked us to come and wait for them here so that they will give us the travel document and the necessary instructions on how to go.
They have not given us any documents, like a passport and a visa, and we are worried that none of them is here to attend to us as they promised.”

NAPTIP confirmed that many of the women were visiting Abuja for the first time and were left stranded at the time of the rescue.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, described the situation as a “disturbing trend,” raising concerns about Abuja becoming a central hub for human trafficking operations.

“I wish to alert our partners and stakeholders to the new modus operandi of a human trafficking syndicate that uses the Federal Capital Territory as a muster point for their nefarious activities,” she said.
“You will recall that a few months ago, some victims were intercepted and rescued from a hotel located close to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, just as they were about to be trafficked to some destination countries in the Middle East.”

She stressed that traffickers prey on vulnerable women who are unaware of the exploitation awaiting them:

“The sad aspect of the whole thing is that they excitedly jumped at the offer from the traffickers without knowing the harrowing experience and the level of exploitation that awaits them in the destination country.
Well, the good news is that we have successfully disrupted this trafficking process, and we are closing in on the agency whose name features prominently in the whole thing.”

Bello also issued a strong warning to the Association of Recruiters, Licensed Placement Agency of Nigeria, and other regulatory bodies, urging them to take responsibility for the actions of their members.

“The mindless exploitation of victims of human trafficking in those destination countries remains a source of serious concern to NAPTIP, so this scenario must stop,” she said.

The agency has launched a manhunt for a well-known travel agency allegedly connected to the illegal recruitment operation.

Investigations are ongoing.