A major human trafficking ring operating across state lines has been dismantled by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Katsina, following the rescue of three young women forced into prostitution.
The raid, confirmed in a statement by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye, led to the arrest of three suspects believed to be key players in a criminal syndicate that recruits young women from various states and forces them into sex work in the northern region.
The operation was carried out in a well-known hotel within Katsina township (name withheld), where the victims — aged between 21 and 26 and originally from Benue and Rivers States — were found in what officials described as a “poorly furnished, cramped room.”
Meanwhile, the traffickers were discovered living comfortably in another section of the same hotel.
“This rescue follows the recent directive of our Director General, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, to intensify surveillance in hotspots such as hotels and motor parks,” Adekoye said.
One of the victims gave a harrowing account of her ordeal to NAPTIP officials:
“I was brought here by a woman who promised a good job. She never told me it was prostitution until we got here. We sleep with at least 20 men a day, even when we are on our period or sick. They said our feelings didn’t matter—only money.”
With tears in her eyes, she described being forced to consume energy drinks nightly to endure the abuse, while all their earnings were handed over to a woman identified only as Amarachi, the self-proclaimed chairlady of the ring.
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Attempts to escape were thwarted by men allegedly paid to monitor them.
The hotel’s manager and two employees were arrested alongside the suspects, deepening concerns about the complicity of hospitality establishments in human trafficking.
Director General Binta Bello condemned the exploitation and the enabling role played by the hotel.
“These women lived through horror daily, while their abusers lounged in comfort just a few doors away. We will ensure that justice is served. The hotel involved will face full legal consequences,” she stated.
She reiterated NAPTIP’s stance against hotel operators who knowingly allow trafficking activities on their premises, warning that legal action would be taken against any establishment found guilty of complicity.
Investigations are ongoing, and the rescued victims are currently receiving medical and psychological support under NAPTIP’s victim rehabilitation program.