The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), officially handed over 52 individuals suspected to be victims of human trafficking to the Zamfara State government.
The transfer was carried out by the NAPTIP State Coordinator, who delivered the victims to the Zamfara State Substance Abuse Control and Prohibition of Human Trafficking Agency.
The victims, hailing from the Anka and Talata-Mafara Local Government Areas, were initially intercepted while en route to Abuja for mining work.
A total of 53 individuals had embarked on the journey, including the suspected ringleader, Bilyaminu, but 52 victims were returned to Zamfara State, while Bilyaminu remains in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
The group was apprehended by Nigerian Army troops before being transferred to DSS custody.
When presented to the Zamfara State government, the victims appeared malnourished, disheveled, and in desperate need of assistance.
Speaking to journalists after the handover, Ishaq Anka, Executive Secretary of the Zamfara State Substance Abuse Control and Prohibition of Human Trafficking Agency, explained that after a thorough investigation by DSS, the victims were handed back to NAPTIP, who subsequently contacted the state government for their return.
“We received 52 individuals from NAPTIP in Abuja.
They are from Anka and Talata-Mafara Local Government Areas and were arrested by the Nigerian Army on their way to Abuja.
After their arrest, they were investigated for three days before being handed over to the Department of State Services.
Following their investigation, DSS returned the victims to NAPTIP, who then contacted us for their repatriation,” Anka stated.
He further added, “This is a clear case of human trafficking.
These people were lured with promises of hard labor, with the assurance that they would be compensated for their work.
You can see their condition no money, no resources—just trying to survive.
Though we are in a period of fasting, I truly sympathize with their plight, as they only had one meal a day and mostly relied on water for sustenance.”
One of the victims, Hamza Shuaibu from Anka Local Government, shared his experience with Channels Television.
He explained that Bilyaminu had promised them employment in Abuja’s mining sector, but their journey was abruptly cut short when they were arrested.
“We were brought from Abuja to Zamfara to search for mining work.
We hadn’t reached our destination when we were arrested.
Bilyaminu was helping us; he wanted to give us work.
We believe the government is doing everything to protect us.
Wherever we go, we travel with one hope,” Shuaibu said.
He also expressed gratitude to the Zamfara State government for rescuing them and called for the release of Bilyaminu, whom he claimed had not broken the law but had been trying to assist them.
In response, the Zamfara State government has issued a warning to residents, especially in rural areas, about the dangers of falling victim to promises of a better life elsewhere.
Authorities emphasized that such offers are often deceptive, leading to exploitation and trafficking.
The government has also pledged to ramp up efforts to combat human trafficking through increased sensitization and public awareness programs, ensuring that people are informed about the risks and consequences of human trafficking.
