News

Convicted Human Trafficking Kingpin Arrested at Abuja Airport

Published

2 days ago

Jan 3, 2025.

Human Trafficker, Uadiale Christiana has been arrested
She was Caught by NAPTIP after being on the wanted list for 5 years
NAPTIP apprehended her at the Nnamdi Azikiwe

A convicted human trafficking kingpin, Uadiale Christiana, also known as “Christy Gold,” was arrested on December 31, 2024, by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Christiana, a key figure in an international human trafficking network based in Dubai, UAE, had been on the wanted list of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for over five years.

EDITOR’S PICK

Christiana was initially arrested by NAPTIP in 2020 for her role in recruiting and trafficking underage Nigerian girls to Dubai for forced prostitution.

After being charged in Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, and granted bail, she fled to Dubai, violating her bail conditions. In her absence, the court convicted her of human trafficking on March 21, 2024, with sentencing deferred until her rearrest.

NAPTIP collaborated with multiple agencies, including INTERPOL Nigeria, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and the UAE police, to track Christiana. Her arrest at Abuja airport followed a 2023 watchlist request by NAPTIP.

Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu, commended the NIS for their efforts, calling it a testament to inter-agency collaboration.

“This arrest sends a strong message to other members of this international criminal gang who remain at large. They can hide for a while, but not forever,” Adamu stated.

NAPTIP revealed that Christiana’s accomplices, including Michael Nduka, Osas Wiseman, Vivian, and a Lagos-based Prophet John, remain on the run. Efforts are underway to apprehend them.

Adamu promised heightened action against human traffickers in 2025, reaffirming NAPTIP’s commitment to protecting Nigerians from exploitation and violence. Christiana will now face sentencing as ordered by the Federal High Court.