Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have rescued 25 women from a trafficking ring in Abuja.
Spokesman Vincent Adekoye said the women, suspected victims of labour exploitation, were en route to Saudi Arabia before operatives intercepted them in Wuse II, Abuja. They had gathered outside a hotel, waiting for their trafficker.
The victims, aged 17 to 43, revealed they were recruited from Kano, Jigawa and Katsina States with false promises of lucrative domestic work abroad. Many admitted they had not been given passports or visas and were stranded in Abuja for the first time.
NAPTIP’s Director General, Binta Bello, condemned the traffickers, warning that gangs now use Abuja as a hub for trafficking operations. She urged recruitment agencies and regulators to enforce stricter oversight to protect vulnerable citizens.