Nigeria says it has rescued, rehabilitated and reintegrated more than 5,400 victims of human trafficking over the past three years, as the Federal Government called for stronger international action against transnational organised crime.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to international organisations in Vienna, Fatima Ajimobi, disclosed this while addressing the 13th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) in Vienna.
Ajimobi said Nigeria remained concerned about human trafficking, migrant smuggling, illicit firearms trafficking, environmental crimes and terrorism, warning that the interconnected nature of these threats continues to undermine national security, institutions and development.
She said the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) had recorded significant progress over the three-year period, including the rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of more than 5,400 trafficking victims and 597 survivors of violence against persons.
The ambassador also disclosed that 168 persons had been investigated and prosecuted for trafficking-related offences during the period, resulting in 26 convictions.
According to her, Nigeria has strengthened its anti-trafficking response through nationwide awareness campaigns, improved operational procedures and enhanced measures for protecting victims and survivors.
Ajimobi said criminal networks were increasingly exploiting legitimate travel channels and irregular border crossings to facilitate migrant smuggling. She highlighted intelligence-led border security measures introduced in 2025 to improve the early detection of suspicious activities at international terminals.
She also identified illicit firearms trafficking as a major driver of organised crime and cross-border insecurity, saying Nigeria was working with regional partners to trace weapons, identify trafficking routes and disrupt the financial networks supporting criminal groups.
On environmental crimes, the envoy listed illegal mining, illicit mineral trafficking, crude oil theft, illegal logging and wildlife crime among the growing threats requiring stronger international cooperation, technology transfer and technical assistance.
Ajimobi further called for greater cooperation in tackling crimes committed through information and communication technologies, including improved digital forensics, electronic evidence sharing, mutual legal assistance, extradition cooperation and joint investigations.
She said Nigeria’s National Strategy for Combating Organised Crime 2027–2031, launched in August, adopts a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to preventing, detecting, investigating and prosecuting organised crime.
The ambassador reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to implementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its protocols, while urging countries to strengthen accountability, protect victims and work collectively to dismantle transnational criminal networks.