NAPTIP Arrests 8 Suspected Human Traffickers, Rescues 29 Foreign Victims at a Popular Apartment in Abuja

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have arrested eight persons suspected to be members of the notorious human trafficking syndicate operating between Nigeria and Ghana.

The agency rescued 29 victims, most of foreign nationals of some West African Countries, during the raid.

The press officer of NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye in a statement on Wednesday said the operation was carried out at a popular apartment located in the hidden part of Gwagwalada, the suburb of Abuja, following an intelligence report by one of the Foreign Embassies in Abuja.

He noted that this latest development came barely a few days after the agency disrupted another trafficking arrangement in Abuja and rescued 25 women en route to Saudi Arabia, for domestic exploitation.

Adekoye said detailed investigation revealed that the agency received an official intelligence from the Ghanaian Embassy concerning a suspected case of human trafficking involving a Ghanaian national.

He said according to the Embassy, the victim was allegedly recruited in Ghana under false pretenses and transported to Nigeria, where he was subjected to exploitation.

The Embassy requested the agency’s urgent intervention in line with existing bilateral cooperation agreements and anti-trafficking frameworks.

He said the said victim was allegedly defrauded of USD 3,500 by a suspected trafficking syndicate that had promised him legitimate opportunities in Nigeria. Upon his arrival in Nigeria, the traffickers confiscated his international passport and personal belongings, leaving him vulnerable and at the mercy of the syndicate.

He revealed that this report triggered immediate operational action in compliance with the agency’s mandate to prevent, suppress, and prosecute trafficking in persons as provided under national and international legal frameworks.

He said during the raid, a total of eight suspects were apprehended, adding that the suspects are believed to be members of an organised trafficking network operating between Ghana and Nigeria. They are currently in custody,undergoing profiling and interrogation.

Adekoye said also, 29 victims were successfully rescued. The victims comprise 20 females aged between 17–28 and 9 males aged between 18–30. They were immediately taken into protective custody.

He said the international passport and other personal belongings of the primary victim were recovered during the operation. Other materials suspected to be linked to trafficking activities were also seized, including mobile phones, SIM cards, and financial transaction records.

He said further investigation revealed that the victims whose temporary permits had since expired were trafficked to Nigeria by the syndicate for alleged sexual exploitation and cybercrime activities.

Adekoye said while the 29 rescued victims have been transferred to a safe shelter where they are receiving immediate assistance, the agency has commenced discussions with the relevant diplomatic missions for the foreign nationals among the rescued persons.

Speaking on the latest development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, decried the activities of the trans border human traffickers and the new trends of foreign nationals as victims.

She said: “This case highlights the transnational dimension of human trafficking and the vulnerabilities of individuals seeking better opportunities across borders. The swift intervention by the agency, in collaboration with the Ghanaian Embassy, demonstrates the importance of timely intelligence sharing and coordinated law enforcement response”.

She added that: “The suspects in this case will face the full wrath of the law, and just like I warned a few weeks ago, the atmosphere in Nigeria will continue to be tough for them to operate.

“We shall continue to disrupt their operation, intercept and rescue the victims, and also prosecute them.

“The agency remains committed to its mandate of ensuring justice for victims, dismantling trafficking networks, and strengthening partnerships at both national and international levels to eradicate human trafficking.”

NAPTIP Arrests 8 Suspected Human Traffickers, Rescues 29 Foreign Victims at a Popular Apartment in Abuja

Army Troops intercept cache of ammunition in commercial vehicle on Maiduguri–Kaduna road

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have intercepted a large cache of ammunition hidden in a commercial vehicle along the Maiduguri–Kaduna road.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops deployed at a checkpoint in Nafada, en route to Gombe, discovered the consignment when the driver of the vehicle raised suspicion about a waybill package he was asked to transport.

Sources said that the driver was given a carefully wrapped bag in Maiduguri to deliver in Kaduna, along with the contact of the person who was to receive it.

The driver, who was unaware of the contents, became suspicious of the package and alerted soldiers at the checkpoint. Upon inspection, the troops discovered that the bag contained a large quantity of ammunition.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the consignment was linked to a soldier allegedly serving with Sector 2 in Damaturu, Yobe State. The sector has since been alerted to trace and arrest the suspect.

Security sources described the interception as a major breakthrough in efforts to cut the flow of arms fueling insecurity in the North-East and North-West.

“This is a disturbing development, particularly because of the alleged involvement of a personnel. The case is already under investigation to identify all those connected to it,” a source said.

The interception has once again brought into sharp focus the link between the arms trade and Nigeria’s insecurity. With the Maiduguri–Kaduna corridor serving as a major route, analysts warn that traffickers will continue to exploit unsuspecting drivers, commercial vehicles, and porous checkpoints unless stricter monitoring measures are enforced.

Army Troops intercept cache of ammunition in commercial vehicle on Maiduguri–Kaduna road

Irregular Migration: 7000 Nigerians Stranded in Libya, Says NIDCOM

By: Michael Mike

The Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has disclosed that about 7000 Nigerian immigrants are stranded in Libya.

She made the disclosure at the official launch of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), strategic plan for Nigeria, 2025-2027, in Abuja.

Speaking on Tuesday evening, Dabiri-Etewa said: “As we speak 7000 Nigerians are stranded in Libya. At this time and age people still travel by road.”

IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Ms. Sharon Dimanche in her welcome address, stated that the IOM strategic plan for Nigeria was developed by Nigerians and owned by Nigerians.

She said: “We all sat together, led by the minister of humanitarian, budget and economic planning, at technical level, and went through our strategy. And why did we do that? Because for me, it was not about IOM.

“It was about you. That is why I came to this country, for us to sit and serve one another. So we reviewed our strategy, went into details, reflecting some of those priorities, and what we have here is a reflection of your own ideas, what you proposed, and led by your technical people that we sat together.”

She added that: “This is not just an IOM strategy for Nigeria, it is Nigeria’s strategy supported by IOM, developed through inclusive consultations and shaped by national priorities.”

She also used the opportunity to call on the federal government and all other stakeholders to support the full implementation of the strategic plan.

She said: “We are not just launching the strategy to leave it there, but I’m counting on each and every one of you to implement that strategy together, so that when we sit down three years, five years from now, we can hold each other’s accountable.

“We want to see that difference. And I’m counting on you for your support to make that difference.”

The Deputy Director IOM, Ugochi Daniels, in her goodwill message said, “I’m sure with this team and with the rest of the United Nation team here and the partnership with the government the road might be steep but we will get there.

“What I want to add to that is that the strategy that we are launching today is how we as IOM are translating in concrete terms our commitment in achieving the vision the national development aspirations of the federal government of Nigeria in partnership with all of you represented here and the organizations and states and at the federal level that you represent.”

She assured that, “it is my firm and concrete belief that when we gather again at the end of the strategy we will be able to celebrate not just the achievements from the strategy but the achievements of all of the states that are supported and the achievements of the federal government of Nigeria and the contribution IOM has had to make to this.”

The Minister of state Humanitarian Affairs, Yusuf Sununu, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Chief of Defense Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, representatives of Borno, Yobe, Abia, Bauchi and others pleged to support the implementation of the IOM strategic plan

Irregular Migration: 7000 Nigerians Stranded in Libya, Says NIDCOM