Twenty two victims of human tr*fficking have been rescued in Niger Republic and handed over to officials of the National Agency Prohibiting Tr*fficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Sokoto State.
The victims, who consist of one boy and 21 ladies between the age of 16-25 years, were rescued after a failed attempt to take them to Tripoli in Libya.
Speaking while addressing newsmen on Tuesday, August 31, the Zonal Commander of the agency in the state, Barrister Abubakar Bashiru, said the victims were rescued after spending 11 days in two rooms where they were kept.
He said the victims, mostly from southern part of Nigeria, were intercepted and rescued by the Nigerriene police in Niger Republic and were handed to the Nigeria Immigration service at Illela boarder command, Sokoto State, on August 29, 2021. They were later handed over to NAPTIP Sokoto zonal command the following day, August 30.
“They are victims of fra*dulent human tr*fficking arrangements which we are currently investigating to ascertain the suspects behind the move,” he said.
