Human trafficking: NAPTIP warns girls fitness center customers in opposition to social relationships

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned girls, notably fitness center and leisure centre customers, in opposition to human traffickers who exploit social relationships and seemingly innocent gestures to lure unsuspecting victims.

The company additionally raised the alarm over rising circumstances of sextortion, relationship scams, rape and revenge pornography, urging Nigerians to train warning of their interactions with strangers, each on-line and in public locations.

NAPTIP’s Public Relations Officer, Vincent Adekoye, gave the warning Friday throughout a briefing organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for safety companies’ public relations officers in Abuja.

Adekoye mentioned traffickers generally strategy girls at gyms and social gatherings, providing help with purchasing, home tasks and different on a regular basis wants to determine belief and acquire their phone numbers.

He mentioned the suspects subsequently construct relationships by means of frequent calls and provides of help, together with intervening in conditions similar to automobile breakdowns, earlier than exploiting their victims.

On its operations, Adekoye disclosed that NAPTIP had secured 16 convictions for human trafficking and associated offences and rescued or acquired 221 Nigerian victims by means of the worldwide airports in Lagos and Abuja.

He added that surveillance operations on the Aminu Kano International Airport led to the interception of 65 potential victims allegedly being recruited for exploitation within the Middle East.

On the alleged trafficking of over 300 kids from Benue and Nasarawa states, he mentioned six further kids had been rescued, bringing the full to 117, whereas the trial of suspects continued in Makurdi.

NAPTIP urged Nigerians to confirm identities, scrutinise employment provides and report suspicious actions to stop trafficking and exploitation.