Amnesty International Nigeria, in collaboration with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has convened a high-level roundtable in Abuja to address the growing menace of luggage tag swapping, a criminal tactic increasingly used by drug traffickers to implicate unsuspecting travelers.
The practice, which has left victims traumatized and in some cases facing death sentences abroad—particularly in Saudi Arabia—was described as a grave human rights and security concern.
Held on September 30, the roundtable brought together government officials, law enforcement agencies, security operatives, airport authorities, and travel operators. Present were the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN; representatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); the Department of State Services (DSS); the Nigerian Immigration Service; the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); the Ministry of Aviation; airline operators; aviation handlers; and victims’ families.
Stakeholders at the meeting emphasized the urgent need for stronger collaboration among relevant agencies, improved airport security measures, and increased public awareness to curb the dangerous trend.
The organizers described the event as an important first step in forging a collective response to protect innocent travelers from falling victim to drug trafficking networks.
