The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Gombe State Command, on Friday announced the rescue of five young women from Adamawa State who were allegedly being trafficked to Ghana for sexual exploitation.
The victims, aged between 20 and 25, were intercepted at the Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo Mega Park in Gombe during a joint operation involving NAPTIP and other security agencies.
Gombe State Commander of NAPTIP, Aminu Shira, disclosed this during a media briefing in Gombe, where the survivors were formally handed over to the member representing Numan Constituency in the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Pwamwakeno Mikelson Mackondo.
He said, “The victims were intercepted while in transit through Gombe en route to Ghana. Preliminary investigations indicate that they were being trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.”
Shira explained that the victims were lured from Numan in Adamawa State and routed through Lagos as part of a coordinated trafficking network.
According to him, “We have provided the survivors with temporary shelter, medical care, counselling, and other necessary support services. They are currently stable.”
He added that efforts are ongoing to dismantle the trafficking syndicate, noting, “One suspect has been arrested in connection with this case, while investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the network operating within and outside Nigeria.”
The NAPTIP commander urged members of the public to be vigilant, saying, “We call on citizens to report suspicious movements and activities to relevant security agencies to help curb this menace.”
In his remarks, Mackondo expressed concern over the rising cases of human trafficking, particularly among young people in his constituency.
“I am deeply worried that such incidents are occurring within my constituency. This is a disturbing trend, and we must work collectively to put an end to it,” he said.
Mackondo noted that while state legislatures may not enact national laws, they can support policies and programmes aimed at reducing vulnerability.
“We have initiated empowerment programmes, including grants ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 for small-scale businesses, as well as the ‘Mackondo Wallet,’ through which about N4 million has been disbursed to constituents. These efforts are aimed at addressing poverty and reducing susceptibility to trafficking,” he added.
Mackondo also pledged continued collaboration with relevant agencies to tackle the issue and support the rehabilitation of victims.
Some of the rescued victims, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were deceived with promises of legitimate employment but were instead forced into prostitution.
One of them said, “We were told we would get good jobs, but when we got there, we were forced into prostitution.”
Another survivor revealed the harsh conditions they endured, stating, “They gave each of us condoms and expected us to finish them within 24 hours. If you didn’t, you would be denied food.”
A victim who had previously travelled to Ghana alleged that they were forced to sleep with multiple men daily.
“We were made to sleep with several men every day, each paying at least N2,000. The money was taken by our sponsors, who claimed it was for transport and other expenses,” she said.
NAPTIP reiterated its commitment to combating human trafficking and ensuring that victims are rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.
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