By Crystal Ugoeze
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says it secured the conviction of 93 human traffickers and rescued 120 trafficked children across Nigeria in 2025.
The Director-General of the agency, Binta Bello, also disclosed that more than 2,500 potential victims were intercepted while being deceived, recruited, or trafficked for various forms of exploitation within and outside the country.
Bello made the disclosure in a statement issued by NAPTIP’s National Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, while reviewing the agency’s activities in the past year.
She described 2025 as a difficult year for traffickers, noting that the convictions recorded were significant given the complexity of trafficking prosecutions. According to her, several high-profile traffickers, including operators of some orphanages and care homes, were arrested, prosecuted, and convicted, leading to the rescue of over 120 children.
The NAPTIP boss also revealed that, working with international partners, the agency rescued more than 370 Nigerian victims from countries including Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Bello said NAPTIP would review and strengthen its counter-trafficking strategies in 2026 to respond to emerging trends. She added that the agency would deepen collaboration with law enforcement agencies, development partners, civil society groups, and all levels of government to enhance surveillance, detection, and prosecution of trafficking offences.
She assured that public awareness campaigns would be intensified, especially in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities, to reduce susceptibility to traffickers.
“Just a few days into 2026, we have already secured the conviction of three traffickers,” Bello said, warning that traffickers would face tougher action unless they abandon their criminal activities.