The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has foiled a major trafficking attempt in Abuja, rescuing 25 women aged 17 to 43 who were being prepared for illegal labour exploitation in Saudi Arabia.
The victims, lured with promises of lucrative jobs as housemaids abroad, were intercepted by NAPTIP operatives outside a hotel in Wuse II, Abuja. According to the agency, the women had been recruited from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina States by a travel agency currently under investigation.
Speaking on their ordeal, one victim revealed:
“Some people came to our village and told my parents they would help me travel abroad to work as a house help. They promised I would earn well and support my family. But till now, we’ve not been given passports or visas.”
Many of the rescued women confessed it was their first time in Abuja and that they were left stranded by their traffickers.
NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Bello, condemned the syndicate’s exploitation tactics, warning that Abuja has increasingly become a central hub for human trafficking. She noted that traffickers exploit rural communities where poverty and lack of awareness make victims easy targets.
“We are closing in on the agency behind this recruitment. This new trend of using Abuja as a muster point for trafficking must stop. Regulatory bodies must rise to their responsibilities,” Bello declared.
The DG further urged travel agencies’ associations and regulatory authorities to tighten oversight, stressing that victims often face harsh exploitation, abuse, and slavery-like conditions in destination countries.
For now, the victims are safe in NAPTIP’s custody while investigations continue into the trafficking network.
