The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 52 victims and arrested four suspected human traffickers in Kano.
The Director General of the agency, Mrs Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, May 10, in Kano, said that 48 of the rescued victims were females while four were males, aged between 16 and 34.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim added that out of the four suspected traffickers, three were males and one female.
The DG, who was represented by NAPTIP Kano Zonal Commander, Mr Abdullahi Babale, described human trafficking was a modern day slavery, which involved the exploitation of victims.
“The agency received intelligence report that the victims are on transit from Delta, Imo, Edo, Ogun, Oyo and Ondo States enroute to Europe via Libya. On receiving the information, a special operation was coordinated in Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States to rescue the victims as the suspects were arrested by NAPTIP/Joint Border Task Force officers,” she stated.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim reiterated the agency’s commitment to fighting human trafficking and the rehabilitation and empowerment of survivors.
She also pledged that the agency would make it difficult for human traffickers and their agents to succeed in their evil operations.
The DG commended the Nigerian Diaspora Commission and the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Immigration Service, for their support to NAPTIP.
