The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has raided a popular hotel in Onitsha, Anambra State, arresting four suspected traffickers and rescuing 17 victims, including underage girls, in a major crackdown on human trafficking.
The operation, carried out around the 33 Area of the commercial city with the support of the military, also led to the arrest of two other suspects allegedly involved in baby trafficking across states in the South-East.
NAPTIP disclosed that four of the rescued victims tested positive for HIV and are currently receiving counselling and medical support from the agency and volunteers of the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency.
The agency’s Director-General, Binta Adamu Bello, said the raid followed actionable intelligence from a non-state actor in Anambra, who had conducted voluntary screenings on some of the victims after counselling and alerted authorities to their health status and the presence of minors at the facility.
Investigations revealed that residents had long expressed concern over suspicious activities at the hotel, which reportedly has about 45 rooms and attracts a steady influx of men patronising underage girls.
During the operation, some victims were allegedly caught in the act with customers, while others were seen scantily dressed and waiting for patrons, officials said.
The rescued girls told investigators that they were trafficked from Benue, Imo, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom states and forced into prostitution in Onitsha, where they were required to remit between N20,000 and N25,000 daily to their handlers after servicing multiple clients.
One of the victims narrated that she was lured to Onitsha by her boyfriend with the promise of a job, only to be handed over to a “Madam” who compelled her into sex work under debt bondage.
“It is not with a good mind that I am doing this job, but it was too late for me to refuse,” she said.
Another victim, who tested positive for HIV, said her handler seized her medication and beat her for stepping out to receive treatment after health workers visited the hotel.
“She collected the medicine they gave to us and warned us never to go out for treatment again. I cried and cried for hours, and the more I cried, the more she beat me,” she said.
Reacting, Bello expressed deep concern over the victims’ ordeal and deteriorating health conditions.
“I am most devastated by the health status of the rescued victims and the criminal action of their so-called Madam, who confiscated their antiretroviral drugs and prevented them from accessing medical care. This is a serious crime, and NAPTIP has launched a manhunt for her,” she said.
The NAPTIP boss thanked the military in Onitsha and the Gender and Human Rights State Response Team under the Anambra State AIDS Control Agency for their collaboration, which she said ensured the success of the operation.
She added that the owner of the hotel had been invited for interrogation, while investigations were ongoing to determine appropriate sanctions against the facility.
Bello reiterated the agency’s resolve to intensify its nationwide crackdown on trafficking syndicates.
“As earlier warned, NAPTIP will continue to double its efforts to make the year unpleasant for human traffickers and dismantle their criminal networks across the country,” she said.
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