‘My father said his friend had a job for me abroad’ – Trafficking victim reveals shocking story

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has uncovered another heartbreaking case of human trafficking following a major operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

During the raid, which lasted six hours, NAPTIP operatives rescued 24 victims of trafficking and arrested five suspected traffickers believed to be part of an international syndicate.

Among those rescued was a young woman who shared a disturbing account of how she was deceived into the journey. According to her, her own father convinced her to travel, assuring her that his friend had secured a job for her at a supermarket in Baghdad. Believing she was heading toward a better life, she agreed—unaware she was being trafficked.

“My father told me that his friend has a job for me at a supermarket in Baghdad. He did not tell me that it is in Iraq,” she narrated.

“I know that Iraq is not a good place to work for now due to the crisis there, but I did not know that Baghdad is in Iraq. I thank the DG and her officers for rescuing me.

Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, who led a high-powered special operation team to the airport following a tip-off, revealed that among the suspected human traffickers arrested was a retired senior uniformed officer with one of the foremost law enforcement agencies in Nigeria, who is alleged to be a prominent member of the trafficking syndicate operating within the South West region of Nigeria.