NAPTIP rescues 13 victims of human trafficking from Abuja hotel

NAPTIP rescues 13 victims of human trafficking from Abuja hotel

- Thirteen victims of human trafficking have been rescued by NAPTIP

- The victims, all women, were rescued from a hotel in Abuja

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Friday, May 4, sealed up Amazonia Guest House at Dagri in Gwagwalada, FCT, and rescued 13 women suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

NAPTIP’s assistant director of intelligence, investigation and monitoring, Tina Ugwu told The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the operation that that two suspects including the Manager of the lodge have been arrested.

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Ms Ugwu alleged that one Hafeez Abdulsalam who had been on NAPTIPs watch list and was a suspected trafficker in the South-West who specialises in trafficking young girls to Saudi Arabia was the person that brought the girls from various states to Abuja.

NAPTIP officials at the hotel. Photo source: Akahi
NAPTIP officials at the hotel. Photo source: Akahi

"From our findings, Abdulsalam is a major recruiter of young girls to Saudi Arabia and Dubai because he has been on our Osun State’s office watch list.

“The investigation is still ongoing, we will study all the things we recovered from the hotel and then charge the suspects to court,” she said.

A picture of the hotel where the victims were rescued. Photo source: Akahi
A picture of the hotel where the victims were rescued. Photo source: Akahi

One of the victims, who gave her name as Rokibat, 22 from Oyo state told NAN that her aunt in Saudi Arabia told her mother to bring her to Saudi through Abdulsalam to be engaged in Housemaid job.

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She explained that she met with Abdulsalam in Osogbo who took her to a hospital for medical checkup in preparation for the journey before she was brought to Abuja.

Another victim, Rodiya 23, from Lagos state Mr Abdulsalam who is a family friend allegedly promised to take her to Saudi Arabia to earn a living since she was not doing anything.

Rodiya explained that Abdulsalam took her to a hospital in Osogbo for medical test and then brought her to Abuja to process her international passport for the journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Another victim from Kwara said older sister introduced her to Mr Abdulsalam.

The arrested suspect, Abdulsalam who also spoke to NAN, claimed that the company he worked for known as Western Royal Manpower Solution was legal and registered company known to the federal government.

The suspected trafficker declined further comments.

In a related news, the Benin zonal command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested eight suspected human traffickers.

The zonal commander, Nduka Nwanwenne, told journalists in Benin on Wednesday, April 11, that the traffickers were arrested in the past three months.

He said that a total of 138 people were rescued by the agency within the period and that 124 of the trafficked people were already reunited with their families.

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Source: Legit.ng

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