In a coordinated crackdown on transnational criminal syndicates, operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) have arrested three suspected members of a trans-border trafficking network operating across Nigeria and West Africa.
According to a statement by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, the intelligence-led operation was carried out in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as Osun and Nasarawa States. It targeted criminal cells and their leaders and led to the rescue of 20 victims trafficked from Equatorial Guinea and Togo into Nigeria for forced labour and exploitation.
The operation followed a directive from NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Bello, to intensify surveillance in border communities and step up collaboration with other security agencies to dismantle human trafficking networks believed to have infiltrated Nigeria from neighbouring countries.
Adekoye said the rescued victims recounted how they were lured with promises of high-paying jobs in Nigeria and the prospect of travelling onward to Europe. Instead, they were exploited in various labour-related roles upon arrival.
In a related development, NAPTIP, in partnership with the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal, rescued a Nigerian woman trafficked to Dakar under the guise of a job offer as a hair stylist and make-up artist. Upon arrival, she discovered that her recruiter, known as “Madam Rose,” was involved in child and sex trafficking. When she resisted being forced into prostitution, her documents were confiscated and she was abandoned in a remote village in Kidira, Senegal.
Her family later petitioned NAPTIP, citing mental and emotional distress. She was rescued with support from the Nigerian Embassy and brought back to Lagos, where she is receiving care.
Director-General Bello described both operations as major wins in Nigeria’s fight against human trafficking. “These coordinated efforts underscore the growing synergy between NAPTIP, the DIA, and other national and international partners. It also sends a clear message that Nigeria will no longer serve as a destination or transit point for human trafficking,” she said.
She added that efforts are underway to track down “Madam Rose” and others involved in the syndicate, with the help of Senegalese law enforcement agencies.
“The rescued woman is a graduate and mother of one, who was deceived with promises of a better life. She is lucky to be alive, but her trauma is heartbreaking,” Bello said, appreciating the support of the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar and the Nigerian Immigration Service, which facilitated her return.
The latest developments bring the number of victims rescued by NAPTIP from foreign trafficking rings in the past week to 21. Bello assured that further operations are ongoing to dismantle similar networks across Nigeria.
Nzubechukwu Eze
