News
NAPTIP Frees Seven Victims of Human Trafficking in Raid on Hotel Near Abuja Airport
NAPTIP Frees Seven Victims of Human Trafficking in Raid on Hotel Near Abuja Airport
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have rescued seven persons who were being prepared to be trafficked to Baghdad, Iraq, for exploitation.
The seven victims were freed during a raid on a popular hotel located at Zamaru, a few kilometers away from the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
According to a statement signed on Sunday by the press officer of NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye, the raid which also led to the arrest of the manager of the hotel followed credible intelligence from concerned stakeholders who noticed the unusual movement of some young girls and strange-looking men within the flourishing hotel thereby indicating that the facilities are being used to habour victims of human trafficking.
Adekoye recalled that the agency had in the last few months intercepted no fewer than 60 suspected victims of human trafficking at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, on their way to some of the volatile and war-torn countries in the Middle East.
He noted that a critical profiling of the rescued victims indicated that six of them were deceived and recruited from Lagos while one is from Delta State.
Adekoye said as it was the case with other rescued victims in the past, the victims were deceived with a promise of a caregiving job in Iraq and are signed off into slavery by two sets of recruiters whose identities are not known to them.
“They told me that I will do a househelp in Baghdad and I will receive good salary every month. I believed them because I think say Baghdad is in another Country. Them no tell me say I dey go work for Iraq”, one of them recalled with tears as she narrated her ordeal in the hands of the recruiter to officials of NAPTIP.
Meanwhile, while speaking on the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, expressed displeasure over the roles of some unscrupulous service providers in the recruitment and trafficking of Nigerians for various forms of exploitation and warned that henceforth the agency shall invoke the relevant provisions of its Law to prosecute erring entities.
Represented by the Director, Research and Programme Development, Mr. Josiah Emerole, the Director General said, “It is sad the way some of the service providers in the country aid and abet the recruitment, transportation, transfers, and habouring of Nigerians who are victims of human trafficking.
“The hotel is believed to be a muster point for victims of human trafficking to some of the notorious destination countries. The manage of the hotel is being quizzed and we have also intensified the manhunt for other members of the trafficking gang working in collaboration with other criminal elements in Iraq”.
“The suspected victims are trafficked from different parts of the country and haboured in the hotel. They are further briefed on how to evade arrest at any point by disguising themselves in various forms and answering questions from Law enforcement Officers at the airport.”
The Director General added that: “Due to the unpatriotic roles of some of these service providers, the agency shall henceforth invoke the appropriate section of its law to prosecute them. This is because harbouring suspected victims of human trafficking is also an offense in the Trafficking law.”
NAPTIP Frees Seven Victims of Human Trafficking in Raid on Hotel Near Abuja Airport
Police arrest INEC officials, recover election materials in Taraba by-election
By: Zagazola Makama
The Police Command in Taraba has arrested some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and recovered election materials allegedly diverted during the by-election for Karim Lamido I Constituency of the State House of Assembly.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that on Sunday that the arrests followed credible intelligence provided by party agents.
The sources said the incident occurred on Aug. 16 at about 2:20 p.m. when a team of policemen intercepted the suspects at a private residence in Angwan Sarkin Panya village.
Those arrested included Gideon Amos, 49, an Assistant Presiding Officer II assigned to Polling Unit 16, Angwan Yusuf Dogo, Bikwin Ward, and two others identified as Matthew Jayi, 47, and Tiasama Mathias Musa, 32.
The suspects allegedly diverted materials meant for three polling units PU 005 Gandara, PU 016 Angwan Yusuf Dogo, and PU 029 Angwan Sarkin Primary School — to the residence.
Items recovered from them included three ballot boxes, two BIVAS machines, 19 booklets and 20 pieces of ballot papers, two stamp pads with ink, one marker, and two result sheets.
The sources also disclosed that in the process of resisting the diversion, a police officer on election duty, PC Christian Garba, had his uniform forcibly removed by hoodlums who fled with it.
The sources added that voting had ended in most polling units and collation of results was in progress while investigations into the incident were ongoing.
End
Police intercept 107 suspected thugs, recover arms during Kano re-run elections
By: Zagazola Makama
The Kano State Police Command says it has intercepted 107 suspected political thugs and recovered arms and dangerous weapons during the ongoing re-run and by-elections in the state.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, conducted on Aug. 16 at about 11:00 a.m., followed credible intelligence and was carried out jointly with the military, DSS and other security services.
It was gathered that 20 vehicles conveying the suspected thugs, believed to have been imported from neighbouring states, were intercepted across the affected local government areas.
Items recovered from the suspects included four locally fabricated rifles, axes, cutlasses, daggers, swords, and sticks.
Security sources said the elections in the affected areas were marred by violence, thuggery, stuffing of thumb-printed ballot papers, threats, and intimidation of voters, as well as alleged inducement of electorates by government officials.
The sources added that operations were still ongoing to restore peace and ensure the credibility of the electoral process.
Police intercept 107 suspected thugs, recover arms during Kano re-run elections
Zulum, Others Present as Borno Acting Chief of Staff Buries Mother
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, Deputy Governor Umar Usman Kadafur, and Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Bukar Tijani, among many dignitaries, attended the funeral prayer of the mother of the acting Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mallumbe, Hajja Bintu, in Maiduguri.
Late Hajja Bintu Mohammed died on Friday at a hospital in Abuja after a brief illness at the age of 75, leaving behind five children.
The funeral prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Borno, Zannah Laisu Ibrahim, on Saturday evening.
Governor Zulum, accompanied by his deputy Umar Kadafur, were among the family members and associates at the Muhammadu Buhari International Airport to receive the body of late Hajja Bintu earlier before the funeral prayer.
The funeral was also attended by various officials, including National and State Assembly members, cabinet members, heads of government agencies, local government officials, friends and family members.
Zulum, Others Present as Borno Acting Chief of Staff Buries Mother
Police arrest INEC officials, recover election materials in Taraba by-election
Police intercept 107 suspected thugs, recover arms during Kano re-run elections
Zulum, Others Present as Borno Acting Chief of Staff Buries Mother
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics2 months ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
