The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Katsina State Command, has arrested three suspected members of an interstate human trafficking syndicate and rescued three young female victims during a raid on a well-known hotel in Katsina.
The operation, carried out earlier this week, was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, by NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye. The statement, titled *”NAPTIP Raids Popular Hotel in Katsina, Arrests Three Suspected Members of Inter-State Human Trafficking Syndicates and Rescues Three Victims,”* detailed the events of the raid.
The suspects—believed to be part of a network trafficking young women for sexual exploitation—were found alongside the victims at the hotel. The hotel manager and two staff members were also arrested for allegedly aiding the criminal operation.
According to NAPTIP, the victims—aged between 21 and 26—are from Benue and Rivers States. Preliminary investigations indicate the syndicate recruits young women from across Nigeria and traffics them to the northern region and neighboring countries for prostitution.
Adekoye revealed that the victims were found in a cramped room within the hotel complex, while the suspected traffickers occupied a separate, well-furnished suite. The traffickers were reportedly enjoying the proceeds of their exploitation at the time of the arrest.
The victims shared harrowing accounts of their ordeal, revealing they were lured with false job promises, only to be coerced into prostitution upon arrival. One victim said, “We were promised good jobs, but upon arrival, we were introduced to prostitution. We had no choice. We were forced to sleep with up to 20 men a day.”
They also reported being drugged and given energy drinks to boost their endurance, while all earnings were handed over to a woman known only as “Amarachi,” believed to be the ringleader.
The victims said attempts to escape were thwarted by surveillance men hired by the traffickers, leaving them financially and physically trapped.
In response, NAPTIP Director General, Binta Bello, expressed deep concern over the increasing role of hotels and entertainment centers in harboring trafficking victims. She praised the Katsina command for the successful operation and vowed legal action against the hotel.
“The stories of these young women are heartbreaking. They were deceived, trafficked, and exploited while their traffickers enriched themselves,” Bello said. “We are initiating legal proceedings against the hotel in accordance with the trafficking law. Operators of establishments found aiding such crimes will be held accountable.”
She reiterated her earlier directive for NAPTIP operatives nationwide to intensify surveillance, particularly around hotels, motor parks, and drinking joints, to curb the growing trend of human trafficking.
