The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued eight victims and arrested two suspected human traffickers in Kano State.
Kano Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Barrister Abdullahi Babale, confirmed the operation, which took place on October 1 at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA).
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According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were being trafficked to Saudi Arabia for labour exploitation by two Ghanaian nationals believed to be part of a human trafficking syndicate.
Babale disclosed that six of the victims were traveling with one-way tickets to Saudi Arabia.
He added that one suspect was in custody while another is currently at large.
The commander explained that the female victims, aged between 18 and 43, were from Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, and Kaduna States.
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In a separate operation, NAPTIP also rescued two women who had earlier been trafficked from Kano to Burkina Faso on July 24, 2025, for sexual exploitation.
A 30-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the case. Investigations revealed she trafficked the women through Lagos to her sister in Burkina Faso.
“The suspect was arrested in Kano, and the victims were rescued and brought back to Kano via Lagos by road,” Babale said, adding that all suspects would be charged to court after investigations.
He emphasized that the rescued victims would undergo counselling and rehabilitation before being reunited with their families, in line with NAPTIP’s victim-centred approach.
Babale also urged parents to be vigilant and guard against traffickers who exploit economic hardship to lure victims with false promises of greener pastures abroad.
He called on members of the public to report suspicious activities related to human trafficking to relevant authorities.