Uadiale Christiana Jacob, also known as Christy Gold, a convicted socialite and the leader of an international human trafficking network with a base in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been taken into custody.
She was previously on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons’ (NAPTIP) wanted list.
On Tuesday, December 31, 2024, while arriving from Dubai for New Year’s celebration, officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on duty at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport (NAIA) in Abuja arrested and turned over Christy Gold, who had been listed as wanted for the previous five years.
According to a NAPTIP statement, her accomplices, who served as field officers for her and helped recruit and then transfer victims to Christy Gold, were still at large.
They included a Michael Nduka, Osas Wiseman, Vivian, and a certain Prophet John in Lagos.
Recall that on March 18, 2020, Lagos Airport Command of NIS had shared intelligence with NAPTIP Joint Border Task Force/Benin Satellite Office on the illegal trade of the suspect now in custody.
According to reports, Uadiale Jacob, also known as Christy Gold, is a senior member of an organized human trafficking gang that is well-known for recruiting, trafficking, and sexually abusing young Nigerian females in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Christiana Uadiale Jacob was initially detained by NAPTIP on October 13, 2020, in the Ikpoba Hill neighborhood of Benin City, Edo State, for her role in the trafficking of young Nigerian girls to Dubai for forced prostitution, after the agency had investigated the alleged offenses to determine culpability.
On November 25, 2020, she was charged and granted bail at the Federal High Court in Asaba, Delta State. Uadiale broke the conditions of the bail while it was in effect and fled to Dubai.
On November 3, 2021, the trial judge issued a bench warrant for her arrest after she repeatedly failed to appear in court.
“NAPTIP sought the support and cooperation of the Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, the National Central Bureau (NCB), INTERPOL Nigeria, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the United Arab Emirates Police for Christiana Uadiale Jacob’s arrest and removal to Nigeria in order to bring her to justice for her crimes.”
According to a statement released by NAPTIP spokesman Vincent Adekoya on Friday, “despite her attempts to elude justice, NAPTIP did not give up, and as a result of our diligent prosecution of the case, Christiana Uadiale Jacob was convicted for human trafficking in absentia by Honourable Justice F. A. Olubanjo of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State on the 21st of March 2024, with sentencing being awaited whenever she is rearrested and brought before the Honourable Court.”
The Nigerian Immigration Service’s attempts to capture Uadiale Jacob were praised by NAPTIP Director General Binta Adamu Bello, who said it was an admirable example of interagency cooperation.
“The apprehended and convicted criminal will undoubtedly be brought before the court to receive their legal penalty.
“To the other members of this global criminal gang who are still at large, this is a clear message: They can only hide for a short time; they can never hide forever.”
All of the required security and intelligence tools have already been turned on, and our international partners are keeping an eye out for these components. The net will capture them very shortly.
“I’m glad that the country’s people traffickers met a tragic end in 2024, and we vow to give them hell in 2025.
This year, the DG said, “we are more determined and will be more decisive to fish them out and ensure the protection of Nigerians from trafficking, exploitation, and violence against persons.”
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