The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has announced significant achievements in its fight against human trafficking, revealing that it secured the conviction of 93 traffickers in 2025.
The agency also disclosed that 120 children who were victims of trafficking were rescued during the year under review.
Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, made the disclosure while reviewing the agency’s activities for the previous year. The update was contained in a statement issued by the agency’s National Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye.
Bello further revealed that more than 2,500 individuals identified as potential victims of human trafficking were intercepted before they could be exploited.
According to her, the victims had been deceived and recruited for various forms of exploitation both within Nigeria and abroad.
The NAPTIP boss noted that the agency remained committed to strengthening its operations and improving strategies to combat the growing menace of human trafficking.
She stated that in 2026, NAPTIP would undertake a comprehensive review of its counter-trafficking policies and operational approaches in order to enhance effectiveness and ensure tougher action against traffickers nationwide.
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Bello assured that the agency would continue to collaborate with local and international partners to protect vulnerable persons and bring perpetrators to justice.
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She stated, “The year 2025 was unpleasant for human traffickers in the country. We outsmarted the traffickers and their antics, and this resulted in the impressive number of convictions we recorded. The Agency recorded 93 convictions. This is remarkable, bearing in mind what it takes to prosecute and convict one trafficker.
“In 2025, NAPTIP went after a number of the so called high profiled trafficker, while scores of them were smoked out of their hiding, arrested, prosecuted, and convicted, others are still under close watch. Among the high-profile traffickers were some popular operators of orphanages and care homes across the country whose alleged nefarious activities were busted, and over 120 suspected trafficked children were rescued.
“In the same vein, NAPTIP, in collaboration with international partners and stakeholders, rescued over 370 Nigerian victims of human trafficking from Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and others”.
On measures put in place to continue the fight against trafficking, Bello stated: “As unpleasant as the year 2025 was for the traffickers, I wish to point out that a real hard time awaits them in the year 2026. We have deliberately scaled up our operations to address the evolving challenges and trends. Specifically, we shall increase our collaboration and cooperation with other sister Law Enforcement Agencies, Development Partners, Civil Society Organizations, and other categories of Stakeholders.
“We shall also increase synergy with actors within the three levels of Government, as well as other non- State Actors, including the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), to enhance grassroots surveillance and detection of human trafficking.
“We shall also seek improved relationships and support from the Legislative arm through the National and State Assemblies, the Executive through the State Governors and their spouses, and the Judiciary.
“While we sincerely appreciate the support of all in the year 2025, we assure that NAPTIP shall continue to go after the human traffickers and make 2026 unbearable for them to operate in Nigeria through awareness and enlightenment programmes across Nigeria, with special attention on the unreached locations and villages to reduce their vulnerability and build their resistance to the antics of the traffickers and prosecution.
“Just a few days into the year 2026, we secured the conviction of three human traffickers, and more will end up in jail unless they desist from their unlawful acts and criminality”.
