Navy hands over rescued human trafficking victims to NAPTIP

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The Nigerian Navy has reaffirmed its commitment to combating human trafficking and other transnational organised crimes with the handover of two rescued victims of human trafficking to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.

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The Navy said the victims were rescued during a targeted anti-human trafficking operation before being transferred to NAPTIP’s Lagos Zonal Command in Ikeja for rehabilitation, protection and further investigation.

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Human trafficking remains one of Nigeria’s major security and human rights challenges, with security agencies and NAPTIP intensifying joint efforts to dismantle trafficking syndicates operating within and across the country’s borders.

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The Nigerian Navy has increasingly expanded its maritime security operations to include the interception of human trafficking networks operating along coastal communities and waterways.

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According to a statement released on Thursday by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the handover was conducted by the Forward Operating Base, Badagry, on July 19, following the rescue of the victims two days earlier.

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The statement partly read, “The Nigerian Navy has reaffirmed its commitment to combating human trafficking and other transnational organised crimes with the successful handover of two rescued human trafficking victims to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

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“The handover, conducted by Forward Operating Base (FOB) BADAGRY on 19 July 2026 at the Agency’s Lagos Zonal Command in Ikeja, followed the victims’ rescue during a targeted anti-human trafficking operation on 17 July 2026.”

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The Navy explained that the victims were processed in line with established procedures before being transferred to the anti-trafficking agency.

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It added, “In line with the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedures (HSOP) for the handling of victims of trafficking, the rescued individuals were first taken to the Western Naval Command Maritime Crime Investigation Desk, where they underwent comprehensive documentation, biometric capture, and other necessary administrative procedures before being formally transferred to NAPTIP for rehabilitation, protection, and further investigation.”

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The Navy said the operation underscored its determination to protect vulnerable persons while strengthening collaboration with other security and law enforcement agencies.

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It continued, “The successful rescue and seamless handover underscore the Nigerian Navy’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime and territorial corridors from transnational organised crime while ensuring the protection and dignity of vulnerable persons.

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“It also reflects the Service’s continued collaboration with relevant government agencies in dismantling human trafficking networks and strengthening Nigeria’s national security architecture.”

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The Navy added that it would continue to sustain intelligence-driven operations aimed at preventing human trafficking and other organised crimes.

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“The Nigerian Navy remains resolute in sustaining 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”, the statement concluded.

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