Nigerian Navy (NN) said its personnel rescued 18 victims of human trafficking and arrested two traffickers in Kano State.
The director of Information Naval Headquarters, Commodore Adedotun Olukayode Ayo-Vaughan in a statement said the feat was achieved at about 10pm on Saturday, 4th February, 2023, at Rijiyar Lemu in Ungogo local government area of Kano State.
He said the rescue was done sequel to a tip off from an officer in the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College (NNFLC) Dawakin Tofa whose sister was being trafficked through Kano enroute Libya and France.
“Upon receipt of the information, the NNFLC internal security team swung into action. The team localized Rijiyar Lemu and Bachirawa areas where detailed reconnaissance led to the rescue of the victims who were housed in an uncompleted building. Furthermore, 2 of the suspected traffickers were arrested while others are at large,” he said.
The director said the victims were kept in custody of the college where medication and other necessary attention were offered.
He said the Kano zonal office of National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP) in Kano were informed.
“Consequently, the suspects and victims were handed over to NAPTIP for interrogation and further necessary action on Monday 6 February 2023,” he said.
Commodore Ayo-Vaughan while pledging the service’s unalloyed loyalty to the fulfilment of her constitutional mandate, advised perpetrators of crimes to desist from such acts.
