Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have intercepted 25 women believed to be victims of labour exploitation who were about to be trafficked to Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement by the agency, the unsuspecting women were rescued in front of a popular hotel in Wuse II, Abuja, where they had gathered while waiting for their trafficker.
During questioning, the victims—aged between 17 and 43—revealed that they had been recruited from Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina States by individuals who promised them employment as domestic workers in Saudi Arabia.
One of the women recounted:
“Some people came to our village and told my parents they could help me travel abroad to work as a house help in Saudi Arabia. They assured us that the job would pay well, and that I would be able to support my family. They asked us to come here and wait so they could provide us with travel documents and instructions. But up till now, they have not given us anything—not even an international passport or a visa. None of them has shown up as promised, and we are worried.”
Many of the victims admitted it was their first time in Abuja and said they were stranded.
Commenting on the development, NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, condemned the traffickers’ exploitation of vulnerable women in rural areas. She also raised concerns about Abuja being increasingly used as a central hub for trafficking operations.
She stated:
“I want to alert our partners and stakeholders about a new trend in which trafficking syndicates use the Federal Capital Territory as a muster point for their illegal activities. A few months ago, some victims were rescued from a hotel near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, just before they were trafficked to the Middle East. Now, we have intercepted another 25 women. Sadly, they eagerly accepted these offers, unaware of the harsh exploitation awaiting them abroad.
The good news is that we have disrupted this trafficking process and are closing in on the agency implicated in the case.
I call on the umbrella body of travel agencies, the Association of Recruiters, Licensed Placement Agency of Nigeria, and other regulatory authorities to properly monitor and regulate their members.
The continued exploitation of human trafficking victims in destination countries remains a grave concern to NAPTIP, and this must stop.”
