In a major breakthrough in the ongoing war against human trafficking, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), working in close coordination with the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), has apprehended three individuals suspected of being key members of a transnational trafficking ring and successfully rescued 20 victims brought into Nigeria under false pretences.
The agency also secured the safe return of a Nigerian woman trafficked to Senegal, bringing the total number of rescued victims in the past week to 21.
This significant operation, according to a press statement signed by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, was executed across three Nigerian states—Federal Capital Territory, Osun, and Nasarawa—and marked a direct assault on a trafficking network accused of luring victims from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea and Togo into Nigeria. These individuals were reportedly deceived with attractive offers of well-paying jobs and the promise of migration to Europe. However, upon arrival, the reality they encountered was one of forced labour and exploitation.
The operation formed part of a broader national clampdown following a directive issued by the agency’s Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, who had earlier mandated intensified surveillance efforts and heightened inter-agency cooperation. The DG’s strategy was aimed at disrupting increasingly sophisticated trafficking operations exploiting Nigeria’s borders and the hopes of vulnerable individuals seeking a better life.
In a separate but related incident, NAPTIP confirmed the rescue of a Nigerian woman trafficked to Senegal under the guise of a legitimate job opportunity. The woman, a graduate and single mother, was reportedly recruited with the promise of a hairstyling position abroad. Instead, she was subjected to an attempted coercion into prostitution by a trafficker known only as “Madam Rose.”
According to the statement, when the victim resisted, the trafficker confiscated her identity documents and abandoned her in Kidira, a remote area in Senegal, leaving her vulnerable and without support. The victim’s family, alarmed by her distress and lack of communication, filed a petition, prompting swift action from NAPTIP in collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar. Their combined efforts led to the woman’s successful rescue and return to Lagos, mere hours before the agency’s statement was made public.
Director General Binta Adamu Bello described these operations as a testament to the strengthening cooperation between Nigeria’s intelligence and security agencies. She highlighted the deliberate nature of the mission, which specifically targeted cross-border criminal networks using deceit to traffic and exploit human beings under the guise of economic opportunity.
“The operation was strategic and targeted at transnational organized criminal elements that are now making Nigeria an attractive human trafficking destination. These individuals deceive victims with promises of employment, only to exploit them upon arrival,” she stated.
Speaking further on the Senegal case, Bello remarked, “She is lucky to be alive, even though extremely traumatized. We have launched a manhunt for the trafficker, and are working with law enforcement in Senegal to ensure she is brought to justice.”
The Director General extended her appreciation to Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, Chief of Defence Intelligence, the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Nigerian Immigration Service, and the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal for their active role in the success of both missions.
With these coordinated operations, NAPTIP reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling trafficking networks and ensuring the safety and dignity of victims across all borders. The agency’s efforts in the past week alone have brought 21 victims to safety, underscoring the seriousness with which it approaches its mandate to protect the vulnerable and prosecute offenders.
What you should know
NAPTIP, in partnership with the Defence Intelligence Agency, arrested three traffickers and rescued 20 foreign victims brought into Nigeria for forced labour. Separately, the agency also repatriated a Nigerian woman trafficked to Senegal under false pretences.
Both missions highlight growing inter-agency synergy in Nigeria’s fight against human trafficking.
