Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Katsina State Command, have arrested three suspected members of an inter-state human trafficking syndicate that specialises in the recruitment, harbouring, and trafficking of young girls from other parts of the country to the North for s3xual exploitation
The three suspected traffickers were arrested inside a prominent hotel located in Katsina township, where three victims of human trafficking were rescued during the sting.
According to a communiqué signed by the agency’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, the manager of the hotel and two other workers were arrested.
Two of the victims are from Benue State and one from Rivers State. Their ages range from 21 to 26 years old.
NAPTIP notes that a preliminary investigation reveals the suspects were believed to be major suppliers of victims to brothels and other notorious centres, including some in neighbouring countries.
The rescued victims were found inside a small room located within the hotel complex, while the traffickers were in another well-furnished room within the same compound, relishing the proceeds of the exploitation.
Reacting to the development, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, expressed concern over the activities of some hotels and centres across the country that harbour victims of human trafficking.
She said the hotel in question would be sanctioned in line with the provisions of the anti-trafficking law, as their actions are unacceptable, contravene the law, and subjugate human dignity.
“I wish to commend the operatives of NAPTIP in Katsina for the raid and rescue of the victims.”
Commending operatives of NAPTIP in the Katsina office, she added, “Their stories (the victims) are painful and sad. They were deceived, recruited, trafficked, and forced into prostitution. While they faced horror every day from prostitution, their traffickers were somewhere within the same hotel, feeding fat on the proceeds of the exploitation.
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