Navy hands over rescued human trafficking victims to NAPTIP

By Kingsley Omonobi

ABUJA — The Nigerian Navy has handed over two rescued victims of human trafficking to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), reaffirming its commitment to tackling human trafficking and other transnational organised crimes.

The Director of Information, Nigerian Navy, Commodore Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

According to him, the victims were rescued by personnel of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Badagry during a targeted anti-human trafficking operation on July 17, 2026, and were formally handed over to NAPTIP’s Lagos Zonal Command in Ikeja on July 19.

Folorunsho said the handover was carried out in line with the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedures (HSOP) for handling victims of trafficking.

He explained that the victims were first taken to the Western Naval Command Maritime Crime Investigation Desk, where they underwent documentation, biometric capture and other necessary administrative procedures before being transferred to NAPTIP for rehabilitation, protection and further investigation.

He said the successful rescue and handover highlighted the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s maritime and territorial corridors from transnational organised crime while ensuring the safety and dignity of vulnerable persons.

According to him, the operation also demonstrates the Navy’s sustained collaboration with relevant government agencies in dismantling human trafficking networks and strengthening the country’s national security architecture.

Folorunsho added that the Nigerian Navy would continue to sustain intelligence-driven operations and inter-agency cooperation aimed at preventing human trafficking, disrupting criminal syndicates and promoting a safe and secure maritime environment in support of national security objectives.

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