Nigerian Navy Hands Over Two Rescued Trafficking Victims to NAPTIP

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Nigerian Navy has handed over two suspected victims of human trafficking to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) following their rescue during an operation in Lagos State.

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

In a statement, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the handover was carried out in line with the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedures for handling victims of trafficking.

According to the statement, the rescued individuals were initially taken to the Western Naval Command Maritime Crime Investigation Desk, where they underwent documentation, biometric capture and other administrative procedures before being transferred to NAPTIP.

The agency is expected to provide the victims with protection and rehabilitation while conducting further investigations into the circumstances surrounding their trafficking.

The Navy said the operation was part of efforts to prevent Nigeria’s maritime and territorial corridors from being exploited by human trafficking networks and other transnational organised criminal groups.

It added that the rescue and subsequent handover demonstrated the importance of collaboration between security agencies and other government institutions in tackling trafficking and protecting vulnerable persons.

The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led operations and inter-agency cooperation aimed at disrupting criminal networks, preventing human trafficking and maintaining a safe and secure maritime environment.