The
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has
rescued a victim at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja,
Lagos State and arrested a suspected trafficker.
The
suspect, name withheld, who is now in the custody of NAPTIP, was arrested while
allegedly attempting to facilitate the trafficking of a potential victim of
trafficking in persons (PVOT) out of the country.
The Head, Press and Public
Relations (NAPTIP), Mr Josiah Emerole said: “The PVOT, who is in her early
twenties and hails from Edo State, was however, rescued and now being
counselled by officials of the Agency.
“The
arrest and rescue were done during a joint random profiling operations carried
out at the MMIA between Wednesday and Thursday by NAPTIP-Joint Border Task
Force (NAPTIP-JBTF) operatives, mentors and the United Kingdom border Police.”
According
to Emerole, in the operations which lasted over seven hours for two days,
targeted airlines, including Emirate heading to Dubai, Turkish Air heading to
Istanbul, Egypt Air heading to Cairo;
Ethiopian Airline heading to Addis Ababa; Qatar Airline heading to Doha; Rwand
Air heading to Kigali and another Emirate Air heading to Dubai.
“During
the operation, passengers were randomly profiled on the floor of the departure
hall at the check-in counters. It was in one of such checks that the PVOT was
intercepted on the Emirate Airline counter checking in to travel to Dubai while
the suspect facilitating her movement was arrested,” said Emerole.
He
explained that while the suspect is presently answering question from NAPTIP
investigators at its facility in Lagos, the victim has been sent to NAPTIP
shelter for adequate care.
The
Director-General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli commended the operatives of the
JBTF.
She
urged all international flight operators to imbibe good practices in the fight
against human traffickers. She promised to engage all airline operators and tour
operators to discuss their operation.
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