[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons has intercepted 19 Nigerians being trafficked to Libya for labour and sexual exploitation.
According to the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Abdullai Babale, the victims of human trafficking are between the ages of 18 and 32.
They were recruited from Abia, Kaduna, Lagos, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Enugu and Kogi states, according to the News Agency of Nigeria and rescued in Kano.
Babale added that the survivors were rescued between September 13 and 18, 2022 by the Joint Border Task Force.
The suspected trafficker was also arrested during the joint operation, he said.
Babale said 18 of the survivors are females while one is male. They were intercepted on their way to Libya for
The suspected trafficker, whose name was not disclosed, is from Kano.
Many Nigerian immigrants colonists in search of pastures new have been subjected to inhumane treatment in Libya. Some of them have however been finding their way back home.
For instance, on August 16, 2022, 174 Nigerians who had been trapped in Libya were evacuated back to the country and received by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Ibrahim Farinloye, Acting Coordinator of NEMA Lagos territorial office confirmed to SaharaReporters that the returnees comprised 75 male adults, 69 female adults, 12 male and female infants, 5 children, 10 female infants and three male infants.
He added that they were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme.
He said that 23 of the returnees had minor medical cases.
He further stated that the programme was meant for distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrating.
"This year alone, this flight was the 12th recorded in Lagos that brought returnees from Libya," Mr Farinloye said.
He said that about 2,044 Nigerian returnees from Libya had been assisted to return to the country through the Lagos airport in 2022 alone. 
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