By Uwumarogie Peter
Abuja – The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has intercepted 18 suspected victims of human trafficking and handed them over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Mr Muktar Ibrahim, Head of Information and Outreach of AEPB, who spoke at the handover ceremony in Abuja on Thursday, said that the 18 women were apprehended on Wednesday.
He said that the women were apprehended at a clinic and diagnostic centre in Maitama around 8 p.m. by a team of AEPB officials on night patrol.
“We apprehended the 18 women, suspected to be victims of human trafficking, who were purportedly on their way to Saudi Arabia.
“The women have been handed over to NAPTIP; the agency will take the matter up as it is constitutionally empowered to do so.
“Ours is to ensure that we rid Abuja and its environs of whatever will constitute public nuisance.
“Human trafficking has taken a different form and we at AEPB have also initiated different measures to curb it and assist in that regard.
“That is why we have a night patrol team to deal with any nuisance and make Abuja a safe place for everyone to live in.
“We have the mandate to keep Abuja clean and safe; we are sanitising the city to assist the government in creating an environment that will drive development from all angles,’’ he said.
Mr Mohammed Nasiru, the Deputy Director of Monitoring and Enforcement Unit, AEPB, said that the women were apprehended by the agency’s patrol team on night duty.
Nasiru, who handed over the women to a team of NAPTIP officials, said that the AEPB patrol team went to the place, following a report from its security unit.
He warned that the board would not tolerate any form of human trafficking in and around the city.
“On Wednesday, we received the report and we immediately moved to the clinic at Katsina Ala street in Maitama.
“We caught 18 women and from all evidences, they seem to be victims of human trafficking; that is why we have invited NAPTIP,’’ he said.
Nasiru said that the AEPB was aware of the efforts of the Federal Government to bring some Nigerians in Libya back to the country and would assist the government in its efforts to rid Abuja of the activities of human traffickers.
He advised Nigerians to stay in their country and engage in legal businesses.
One of the girls, 21-year-old Zakariyah Simbiyat, an NCE graduate of Business Education, said that she was told to come to Abuja for a house-help job.
