NAPTIP Uncovers Human Trafficking Syndicate in Katsina, Rescues Three Women.
The Katsina State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has dismantled an interstate human trafficking syndicate and rescued three young women who were being forced into prostitution.
According to a statement released on July 9, 2025, by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, three suspects believed to be part of the trafficking ring were arrested during the operation. The suspects are reportedly involved in recruiting, harboring, and trafficking young women from various parts of the country to northern Nigeria for sexual exploitation.
The operation took place in a well-known hotel in Katsina township (name withheld), where the victims—aged between 21 and 26—were discovered. The hotel’s manager and two staff members were also taken into custody. The rescued women are from Benue and Rivers States.
The raid follows a directive from NAPTIP’s Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, who recently ordered intensified surveillance and intelligence-gathering across the country to combat rising incidents of human trafficking. Operatives were specifically instructed to monitor hotels, bars, and motor parks—known hotspots for trafficking activities.
Adekoye revealed that during the raid, the victims were found confined in a poorly furnished room, while their traffickers occupied a more comfortable room in the same building, allegedly living off the profits from the women’s exploitation.
One of the victims, speaking after her rescue, recounted the ordeal:
“I was brought here by a woman who promised us good jobs with decent pay. When I asked what kind of job, she said I would find out when we arrived. But once we got here, she forced us into prostitution,” the victim said.
She added, “We are forced to sleep with at least 20 men daily, regardless of whether we are ill, menstruating, or exhausted. All the money goes to the woman in charge, known as Amarachi. They give us energy drinks like Fearlessevery night to keep us working, and men are hired to guard us and stop us from escaping.”
Reacting to the bust, Director General Binta Adamu Bello condemned the role of hotel operators who knowingly aid traffickers.
“I commend the NAPTIP operatives in Katsina for their bravery and swift action. These young women were deceived, trafficked, and forced into unimaginable suffering while their exploiters lived comfortably nearby,” Bello said.
She confirmed that legal action would be taken against the hotel involved.
“This hotel, like others found aiding and abetting human trafficking, will face the full weight of the law. Legal proceedings are underway to determine the appropriate sanctions,” she stated.
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