Immigration apprehends nine human traficking victims

The Operatives of Nigeria Immigration Service, Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Command in Lagos, has apprehended another nine girls being trafficked.

The girls were on their way to Lebanon, Cairo, Dubai, and India on Ethiopian, Peace, Egypt and East Airlines.

The service Public Relations Officer, DCI Sunday James, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Lagos.

According to him, four of the girls claim to be traveling for employment without knowing their employers nor aware of the nature of the job they were going for.

“This discovery was made after intensive interrogation by NIS officials,” he said.

James said the shady journey was organised by agents who took advantage of the girls’ innocence and ignorance.

He disclosed that two of the girls had earlier claimed to be going for a visit.

“However, the two, later confessed they were going for hustle in Dubai. Another three, of the girls, claimed they were going to India for medical treatment without referrals.

“When further asked the nature of sickness, they said yellow fever before they finally confessed to going for hustle in India,” he said.

He said NIS refused their departure to save them from indignity to be faced from such journeys.

“The Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, therefore, called on parents to be wary of juicy offers on their children, from family and non-family members to take the children abroad.

“Most of these trips are deceitful, camouflaged with employment, studies or visit which may end up in exploitation or death. Operatives at the various entry and exit points will never permit them departure.

“The NIS stepped-up clearance operation that is yielding positive result in the various arrest made at the borders of the country by NIS.”

(NAN)