The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Lagos Command, has received 12 victims of human trafficking repatriated from Ghana as part of its trans- border collaboration with state and non-state actors in the fight against human trafficking in the Country.

The victims, nine females, aged between 17 and 19 years, two males, aged 22, and a baby, were rescued by the combined efforts of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana and other sister Law Enforcement Agencies. Preliminary investigation revealed that they were recruited, deceived, and trafficked to Ghana with a fake promise of a lucrative job by yet to be identified traffickers, but were forced into prostitution and cybercrime in Ghana.

Receiving the returnees, the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP Lagos, Mrs. Agboko Comfort, represented by the Head, International and Intelligence Cooperation Unit (IICU), Omolara Ibrahim, urged them to see this as an opportunity to learn from past experiences and rebuild their lives. She also appreciated the Nigerian High Commission and the Nigerian Immigration Service for the proper referral/handover of the returnees to the Agency, and assured that the Agency would go after their trafficker and prosecute them.

In the same vein, troops of the Nigerian Army have disrupted trafficking activities at the Ibereko Badagry, Lagos, arresting two traffickers and rescuing two female victims.

Details revealed that the troops were on patrol. Intercepted the suspects, one Mr. Sunday, a 25-year-old young man, and two young women, Miss Blessing, 29 years, and Miss Favour, 26 years, while heading to the Seme border with two female victims of 25 and 19 years respectively.

The Nigerian Army reports that preliminary investigations reveal that the trio was intercepted while conveying the two victims to the Seme Border, where they were to be handed over to another contact in their chain of operation, with plans to move the girls to Ghana. The officers, however, report that the fourth suspect was not apprehended and is presently at large.