The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 25 women from a suspected human trafficking syndicate in Abuja. The women were intercepted in front of a popular hotel in Wuse II, where they had been gathered by traffickers allegedly preparing to move them to Saudi Arabia under false promises of employment.
The victims, aged between 17 and 43, were recruited from the northern states of Kano, Jigawa, and Katsina. Most of them were lured with offers of high-paying domestic jobs abroad, but were left stranded in the capital without travel documents or any form of identification.
NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, disclosed that the women had been deceived into believing they were heading for a better life. “They were told they would be working as house helps in Saudi Arabia with good salaries. But when they got to Abuja, the traffickers vanished, leaving them confused and helpless.”
One of the victims shared her ordeal: “Some people came to our village and told my parents they would help me travel abroad to work as a house help in Saudi Arabia. They promised good pay so I could take care of my family. They asked us to wait here for our travel documents and instructions, but none of them showed up.”
According to NAPTIP, this incident is part of a growing trend where traffickers now use major Nigerian cities like Abuja as staging points for illegal overseas recruitment. The agency has linked a well-known travel agency to the operation and has launched a manhunt for the people behind it.
Speaking to the press, NAPTIP’s Director-General, Dr. Binta Adamu Bello, said: “This is the second major interception in Abuja in recent months. Only a few months ago, we rescued victims near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. Now, 25 more women have been saved from falling into the hands of traffickers.”
She explained that trafficking networks are evolving and using different strategies to avoid detection. “They are now moving operations from rural villages to cities like Abuja, making it harder to trace and track them. But we are stepping up our surveillance and intelligence-gathering to stop them.”
Bello also warned the Association of Recruiters and Licensed Placement Agency of Nigeria (ARLPAN) to take urgent steps to regulate its members. “These syndicates often operate under the cover of legitimate recruitment, but once the victims are out of the country, they are subjected to abuse, exploitation, and even slavery,” she said.
She emphasized that most victims were unaware of the dangers they faced and genuinely believed they were being helped. “The sad part is that many of these women eagerly accepted the traffickers’ offers, unaware of the suffering awaiting them. But the good news is that we have disrupted this trafficking chain, and we are closing in on those responsible.”
According to NAPTIP, the agency has been receiving increasing reports of illegal recruitment from rural communities, with traffickers taking advantage of poverty and lack of education to deceive families. Some parents are persuaded to release their daughters, hoping they will send money home after getting jobs abroad.
In many cases, the victims are forced to work in inhumane conditions, have their passports seized, and face physical and psychological abuse in foreign countries. Most of them are unable to return home due to lack of money or proper documentation.
NAPTIP said the recent rescue was part of its renewed effort to crack down on human trafficking activities across Nigeria, especially in major urban centres. The agency has called on members of the public to report suspicious recruitment activities and urged communities to be alert.
“We want Nigerians to know that not every overseas job offer is real,” Bello said. “If someone promises to take your daughter abroad for work and asks you to meet them in a city like Abuja, that is a red flag. Please report such cases to the nearest NAPTIP office.”
The rescued victims are currently receiving medical and psychological support at a NAPTIP shelter in Abuja. The agency says it will continue investigations to track down the traffickers and ensure they face justice.
