…Vows Stronger Regional Collaboration to Dismantle Trafficking Networks

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has received 231 Nigerian victims of human trafficking who were recently rescued in Ghana.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the agency’s Chief Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, the victims—227 males and four females aged between 15 and 18—were rescued during a joint operation by Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) on April 17, 2025. The raid took place at Kumsark Estate in Oyarifa, Accra, a location EOCO identified as a trafficking hotspot.

EOCO reported that approximately 30 out of 50 houses in the estate were allegedly being used to harbor victims of trafficking. The victims are said to include minors, many of whom were recruited under false pretenses and coerced into exploitative activities, including cyber-enabled crimes.

At the official handover held at the NAPTIP Lagos Command, Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, OON—represented by Lagos Commander Mrs. Comfort Agboko—described the development as troubling.

“We are deeply concerned by the growing trend of trafficking-related activities across West Africa, particularly those involving cyber exploitation,” she stated. “Some of these young individuals were lured with false promises and ended up being exploited.”

Adamu Bello noted that NAPTIP is intensifying efforts to collaborate with counterparts across the region to counter cross-border trafficking.

“We have initiated dialogue with law enforcement agencies in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, The Gambia, and other neighboring countries,” she said. “This includes reviewing existing bilateral agreements and legal frameworks to strengthen cooperation and joint enforcement.”

On the welfare of the returnees, she said profiling would begin immediately to assess their medical needs, skills, and overall support requirements.

“We are committed to providing comprehensive victim support services, including post-trauma care,” she affirmed.

She also linked the development to ongoing efforts by NAPTIP to dismantle trafficking networks within Nigeria. “Through the operations of our Cybercrime Response Team, several suspects have been apprehended. These sustained efforts may have pushed some of the activities beyond our borders, but with the continued support of our partners, we remain determined to combat this crime wherever it occurs.”

Adamu Bello assured that individuals found culpable will be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015.

She expressed appreciation to EOCO, the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) for their collaboration in ensuring the safe return of the victims.