NAPTIP arrests trafficker, rescues three victims

Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), have arrested a suspected human trafficker and rescue three victims.

According to Head, Press and Public Relations NAPTIP,

Mr Josiah Emerole, the arrest was made by operatives attached to the Benin Zonal Command.

The operatives arrested Monday Ugbo 33, for human trafficking. They also rescued three victims from his residence at number 72 Osayande Street, Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City, Edo State.

 The operatives were said to have been on his trail for several weeks, following regular mention of his name in a number of human trafficking cases.

Intelligence reports revealed that Ugbo was harbouring girls in his house, preparatory to their being trafficked overseas.

 The operatives swooped on him in the early hours of Friday and caught him right in the process of receiving a registration fee of N50, 000 he had demanded from a prospective victim.

Emerole noted: “Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect was also preparing to take three girls to a river that morning for oath taking before they could embark on the journey to Europe. Ugbo, who claimed to be a bricklayer according to investigations by the Agency has been in the business of human trafficking for a long time and operates with another woman who is at large now. Ugbo is now in the Agency’s custody, making useful statements.”

The Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli commended the operatives and stated that there was no hiding place for human traffickers anymore in Nigeria as the Agency and her partners had resolved to collaborate more in order to stop further trafficking of Nigerians both within and outside of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Immigrations Service (NIS) has handed over 21 rescued victims of human trafficking to NAPTIP. The age range of the victims is between 18 and 34 years. One suspect was also handed over. 12 of the victims comprising five males and seven females were handed over to the Kano Zonal Command of the Agency by the NIS after they were intercepted at Babamutum border area of Katsina State by the NIS Border patrol as they were being moved outside the country.  

Another nine, all females were handed over to the NAPTIP Headquarters, Abuja by the NIS Headquarters while attempting to procure International passports to travel out.