By Zainab Bakare
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has secured a major legal victory after the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirmed the conviction and sentence of a human trafficking offender involved in trafficking, procurement for prostitution, and organising foreign travel to promote prostitution.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, NAPTIP discloses that the apex court, in a unanimous judgment delivered on May 8, 2026, upheld the decisions of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal in the case against Titilayo Folorunso.
According to the agency, investigations revealed that the victim was lured with false promises of a teaching job in Malta before being trafficked through the Niger Republic to Libya.
While in Libya, the victim was reportedly subjected to prostitution, repeated abuse, forced abortions, and severe exploitation under inhumane conditions.
NAPTIP stated that the trial court had earlier sentenced Folorunso to seven years imprisonment on each count, a verdict that was subsequently affirmed by the Court of Appeal and now the Supreme Court.
The apex court ruled that the appeal lacked merit, a decision NAPTIP says further strengthens Nigeria’s commitment to combating human trafficking and protecting vulnerable persons from exploitation.
In a related development, the agency also announced that the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos convicted another trafficking offender, Bose Jimoh, on May 7, 2026.
Jimoh was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and ordered to pay a ₦4 million fine for organising foreign travel linked to prostitution and exporting victims for exploitation abroad.
NAPTIP noted that the offences contravene provisions of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.
The agency reaffirmed its resolve to intensify the fight against human trafficking and related crimes, warning traffickers that Nigeria’s justice system remains committed to ensuring accountability and justice for victims.
