The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued seven young women from a human trafficking ring attempting to smuggle them to Baghdad, Iraq, for exploitation.
The operation, carried out at a popular hotel in Zamaru, near Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was based on intelligence reports and led to the arrest of the hotel manager.
According to NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, the agency had been monitoring the hotel after receiving reports of suspicious movements involving young women and unidentified men.
“These victims were recruited under false pretenses, promised high-paying caregiving jobs in Iraq, only to discover they were being trafficked,” Adekoye stated.
A preliminary investigation revealed that six of the victims were from Lagos, while one hailed from Delta State. One of the rescued victims, speaking tearfully, recounted, “They told me I would work as a housekeeper in Baghdad and earn good money. I believed them because I thought Baghdad was in another country, not Iraq.”
NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Bello condemned the involvement of service providers in trafficking operations, calling the hotel a “muster point” for traffickers. She warned that legal action would be taken against anyone aiding human trafficking.
“The victims were housed at the hotel and coached on how to evade arrest at the airport,” she revealed.
NAPTIP has launched a manhunt for other members of the trafficking syndicate, believed to have links with criminal networks in Iraq. Meanwhile, the arrested hotel manager remains in custody as investigations continue.
