NAPTIP confirms arrest of suspects in trafficking of Nigerian lady
Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dame Julie Okah – Donli has revealed that the suspects in the trafficking of the young Nigerian lady who was trafficked to Lebanon have been arrested.
The NAPTIP boss disclosed that the arrested suspects are in custody, warned foreign nationals to stop aiding the trafficking of Nigerians to the Middle East and other destinations.
In a statement signed by NAPTIP Head, Press and Public Relations Unit, Stella Nezan on Wednesday, Okah – Donli lamented that their roles in such nefarious activities is a direct sabotage of the efforts of the federal government to nip the trend in the bud.
She said that the agency is considering pushing for a national policy that will place an outright ban on the labour recruitment of Nigerians to some of the noxious continents.
Giving an update on how the lady was rescue, she said that ‘’through an inter – agency collaboration, the Kwara state Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) promptly arrested three suspects in connection with the recruitment and trafficking of the victim to Lebanon.
”Upon the receipt of the information which went viral on all major social media platforms, the intelligence and international cooperation unit of NAPTIP, immediately swung into action and just the same time, officers of the Kwara state Command of the NSCDC arrested the suspects in Ilorin. Those arrested included a Lebanese and two Nigerians, one of whom is a lawyer.
“Upon further investigation, it was gathered that the victim who is a 23-year- old single mother was deceived to believe that she was been recruited to Lebanon to teach English Language in one of the schools and that she will earn huge amount of money monthly that will be enough to take care of her child she left behind in Nigeria.
“It is important at this point to say that NAPTIP exercised serious caution in the rescue process because the traffickers, who were not ready to let her go had threatened to amputate her hands should anyone contact her. We are happy that she has been rescued and any moment from now, she will be in Nigeria.
“As part of our investigation, the Oshogbo zonal command of the agency has invited her parents and other closed relations who may have played direct or indirect roles in her being trafficked to Lebanon.
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“I wish to commend the gallant officers of the Kwara state Command of the NSCDC for arresting the suspects. Their action is a clear demonstration of effective inter–agency collaboration.
“I also use this medium to assure human traffickers in the country that the year 2020 will be desperately hot for them. We have had enough of their nefarious activities which in most cases has left unsuspecting Nigerians devastated, traumatized and in most cases cost them their lives. Enough is enough of trafficking of Nigerians.’’
