NAPTIP Arrests 120 Suspected Human Traffickers, Rescues Over 300 Victims in Ondo State

The Ondo State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested over 120 suspected human traffickers and rescued more than 300 victims across the state over the past three years.

The State Commander of NAPTIP, Taiwo Adegboyega, made this known on Friday in Akure, the state capital, during an event organized by the Civil Society Organisation Network on Migration and Development to mark the 2026 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.

Adegboyega noted that since establishing operations in Ondo State in November 2023, the agency has secured multiple convictions and continues to prosecute several ongoing trafficking cases.

“Since we got to Ondo State precisely in November 2023, so far, we have rescued not less than 300 victims, locally and internationally. We have arrested not less than 120 suspects of human trafficking,” Adegboyega stated.

He highlighted that the command has intensified its joint operations with law enforcement bodies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The NAPTIP chief added that several illegal operators posing as travel agents without proper accreditation have already been taken into custody, while investigations into others remain ongoing.

Speaking at the event, Franklin Oloniju, a representative of the Civil Society Organisation Network on Migration and Development, raised concerns over the rising use of deceptive recruitment tactics such as fake jobs, scholarships, and fraudulent travel deals used to entrap vulnerable individuals.

Oloniju urged the Ondo State Government to appoint a Special Adviser on Migration to coordinate state-level interventions and establish dedicated support structures to assist returning migrants with reintegration.