NIS hands over Libya-bound teenage victims of trafficking to NAPTIP

The three victims from Ondo State comprised of two orphans age 18 and 15 and a girl of 17 years.

News Agency of Nigeria • February 6, 2023

Victims of human trafficking

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has handed over to NAPTIP three victims from Ondo arrested in Kebbi while allegedly on their way to Libya.

The three victims, two orphans of age 18 and 15 and a girl of 17 years, were traveling alone when they were arrested by immigration officers in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi.

The Comptroller of the NIS in the state, Mrs Rabi Bashir-Nuhu, made this known while addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.

“It is a pity that in spite of our calls, talks and advice to parents on looking after their wards, they still don’t listen.

“The girls were intercepted at Yauri border patrol on 15 February as they were travelling from Ondo to Sokoto unaccompanied and alone.

“The officers became suspicious of them as they are being trafficked out to work in Libya. Some of them will be enslaved and mishandled.

“They said a pastor prayed for them and made them to fast for seven days so that their journey will be successful.

“That meas, the pastor has a hand in their trafficking. They have number of their contact if they reach Sokoto, including the pastor’s contact.

“We have to apply Pact 10 and 11 of Immigration Act 2015, receive them and hand them over to NAPTIP,” she said.

The comptroller assured that NIS would not allow dubious persons profiting from human trafficking to pass its net in the state.

In their responses, one of the victims said she and her sister were orphans schooling at Baptist Higher School in Ondo State.

“Our pastor in Muranu Agba Church arranged our traveling to Libya and we have his contact and contacts of those that we will call as soon as we reach Sokoto.

“We are going to Libya to do work in order to earn a means of livelihood,” she said.

Receiving the victims, Head of Operation of NAPTIP in the state, Sadiq Atiku, said the agency would undertake thorough investigation of the matter.

“We thank NIS for making our job easier and we are going to investigate thoroughly.

“We have so far successfully arraigned some of the suspected traffickers who hav connections with previous victims of trafficking as handed over to us by NIS,” he said.

Mr Atiku commended NIS for collaborating with the agency to eradicate human trafficking in the country.

(NAN)

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