Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Wednesday arrested five suspected human traffickers, including a retired senior law enforcement officer, during a sting operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The operation, which lasted nearly six hours, led to the rescue of 24 victims — mostly teenage girls and young women aged 15 to 26 — who were allegedly being trafficked to the Middle East and other regions known for exploitation.
NAPTIP spokesperson Vincent Adekoye said the victims were recruited from Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Ondo, and Rivers states, with planned destinations including Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan. Many of the victims reportedly did not know where they were being taken, with some speaking only local dialects.
One of the victims revealed she had been deceived by her own father, a retired officer among those arrested. “My father told me his friend had a job for me in Baghdad. I didn’t know Baghdad was in Iraq until NAPTIP officers explained,” she said. Another victim said her parents were misled into believing she was traveling to Europe for work.
The operation, backed by the Department of State Services, Immigration, and airport security personnel, drew attention from travelers as the suspects were apprehended.
NAPTIP Director General Binta Adamu Bello condemned the incident, describing it as “incredibly unbelievable” that a father would traffic his own daughter. She said the raid was part of a wider crackdown on traffickers exploiting airports, seaports, and motor parks.
“The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport has become a comfort zone for traffickers. We will sustain this operation and continue to hunt traffickers wherever they are in Nigeria,” Bello said.
All five suspects are in custody and will face prosecution, according to NAPTIP