By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has announced plans to intensify its enforcement operations against human trafficking nationwide.
This followed notable achievements in 2025 that saw the conviction and jailing of 93 traffickers and the rescue of 120 trafficked children across the country.
Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu-Bello said the agency would review its overall counter-trafficking strategies and policies with a view to enhance effective operations and tighten the noose on human traffickers.
The director-general stated this at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, while reviewing its activities in the previous year, with an emphasis on the strategic thrust for 2026.
She also disclosed that NAPTIP intercepted over 2,500 potential victims of human trafficking who were deceived, recruited and were being trafficked for various forms of exploitation within and outside the country, as well as the rehabilitation of a good number of victims.
It would be recalled that following the directive of the director-general to all commands for increased monitoring and vigilance, the agency doubled its activities in 2025, resulting in increased interception and rescue, partnership, awareness creation, prosecution and conviction of offenders.
“2025 was unpleasant for human traffickers in the country. We outsmarted the traffickers and their antics, and this resulted in the impressive number of convictions we recorded. The agency recorded 93 convictions. This is remarkable, bearing in mind what it takes to prosecute and convict one trafficker.
“In 2025, NAPTIP went after a number of high-profile traffickers. While scores of them were smoked out of their hiding, arrested, prosecuted and convicted, others are still under close watch. Among the high-profile traffickers were some popular operators of orphanages and care homes whose alleged nefarious activities were busted, and over 120 suspected trafficked children rescued.
“In the same vein, NAPTIP, in collaboration with international partners and stakeholders, rescued over 370 victims of human trafficking from countries such as Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and others.
“As unpleasant as 2025 was for traffickers, I wish to point out that real hard time awaits them in 2026. We have deliberately scaled up our operations to address the evolving challenges and trends. Specifically, we shall increase our collaboration and cooperation with sister law enforcement agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and other categories of stakeholders.
“We shall also increase synergy with actors within the three levels of government, as well as other non-state actors, including the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, to enhance grassroots surveillance and detection of human trafficking.
“We shall also seek improved relationships and support from the legislative arm through the National and State Assemblies, the executive through governors and their spouses, and the judiciary,” Adamu-Bello said.
