The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued 61 Nigerians who were trafficked and were en route Libya.Â
Mr Yohanna Haruna, the team lead, Joint Border Task Force (JBTF) in Kano disclosed this in an exclusive interview with Daily News24.
He said the agency swung swiftly into action, on receiving information that the Nigerien police earlier rescued 61 victims of human trafficking in the country.
He said the victims were handed over to the Nigerian immigration service at the international border between Nigeria and Niger Republic, who later informed NAPTIP and subsequently handed the victims over to the agency.
“On getting to the border, we confirmed the 61 victims and brought them to the Kano command of NAPTIP for further investigation and among the victims, we have 29 males and 32 females and they were recruited from various states in Nigeria.
“Edo, Imo, Ogun, Ebonyi, Ondo, Lagos, Osun, Benue, Cross River, Kogi, Delta, Oyo, Kwara, Gombe, Akwa Ibom and Kano states are where the 61 victims were trafficked from and brought to Kano before their journey.
The business of trafficking is a syndicate and is an organized crime because, in every state, they have a recruiter, a receiver and another person who will harbour them and then they have a person who will then facilitate their journey to whatever destination.
The victims are aged between 19 and 50.
He said the agency will handle the victims to the counselling and rehabilitation department which consists of experienced officers who will counsel the victims.
“Most of the victims have passed through serious victims and have been brainwashed so our offers will counsel them and tell them the effect of human trafficking.
“The next step we will take is to reunite the victims back to their families and loved ones.
Seeking greener pastures abroad
Sani Sadiq is among the victims who were rescued by NAPTIP, he hails from Kano state and he told Daily News 24 that the reason why he ended up being trafficked was that he was looking for greener pastures abroad.
“A friend of mine called me and asked how my business in the market was faring and I told him that things were just static and he asked if I would like to work in Libya, of which I accepted and then gave my consent.
“He gave me a number which I called and it was from there that I got prepared and left for Libya.   I was camped in an uncompleted building in Katsina state where I met with 3 people and subsequently joined the others for our trip to Libya.
“My call to others is that if anyone tells you that there is a job which requires travelling outside the country, just ensure that the right processes will be taken, like having your passport and having a full knowledge of your movement,” Sadiq explained.
A journey into oblivion
Opeyemi Shukurat who is in her early twenties and based in Lagos state was told greener pastures awaited her in Libya by her friend. She blindly obliged and never did she know that she was going to be trafficked.
Ms Shukura revealed to Daily News 24 that her friend told her there was a job in Libya which entailed taking care of babies. After explaining to her mother that she had gotten an opportunity, Shukura’s mother prayed for her and pleaded with Shukura to tread carefully.
Shukura said her journey to Kano was fixed by her contacts and on reaching Kano, she met up with 7 other people who were ready to travel to Libya. “In the evening that same day, a car arrived with two ladies who we joined.  We were 10 in the car and we were congested.
“We were shouting at the driver, asking him where we were going but he didn’t answer our questions, all he told us was that we should shut up, if not, our journey will be cut short.
“From 7 pm till 9 pm that day we were on a single road going to a place where we didn’t know. The driver later stopped in a bushy area and told all of us to get down from the car. When we alighted, there was another vehicle ready to continue our journey.
“We entered the new car and then started another journey. After moving for more than one hour, we reached another destination which was a desert. Our loads were removed from the car and then we began another journey on foot.
“At different points, we were told to hide from parading soldiers and police officials so that our journey will not come to an end. We did that for several hours to the point that we had to start running to avoid being caught. Shukurah narrated.
Ms Shukura’s first journey by foot was successful and she was camped in a Mudhouse where she met 20 additional people who had made it through that phase of the journey.
“We were put in a very small room which wasn’t enough for us and in the course of my brief stay there, there was a lot of fighting, quarrelling and all.  At 12 am, we were told to pick our bags to continue our journey and on reaching the Republic of Niger at 6 am in the morning, we were resting and while resting, the police caught us there and that was how I found myself back to Kano.
“For those who might likely go through this, my advice to them is that they should not try it. I was starved and choked like a sardine throughout the journey,” she concluded.
