Human trafficking: We paid N585,000 to secure US visa in Niger – Victims
Nine suspected victims of human trafficking who were apprehended in Katsina state en route Niger Republic to secure American visas said they paid N65,000 each to an agent to facilitate the purported trip.
When paraded by the Katsina State Immigration Command, the suspects said they applied online and paid the said amount before taking off from Lagos and Port Harcourt to Katsina to cross the border to the Nigerien American Embassy for biometric capture. The state Immigration The FCT Command of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), on Wednesday, said it had arrested a female visitor to the Kuje Prison, Miss Ijeoma Joseph, with parcels suspected to be Indian hemp.
The command’s spokesman, Mr. Chukwuedo Humphrey, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja. According to Humphrey, the substance was concealed in a carton of biscuits.
He said, “The visitor was nabbed during a routine search on visitors by the eagle-eyed staff of the medium security prison.”
Humphrey said the suspect Comptroller, Joshua Olusola Ajisafe, said the suspects were apprehended by operatives at Charanchi Patrol Base, one of its hinterland checkpoints, noting that most of them were between the ages of 21- 43 years.
“From preliminary investigation, we uncovered that they applied online to one TA Travelling and Tours located at No. 14 Awolowo Road, Ikeja Lagos,” he added.
Some of the victims told Daily Trust that they did not know one another but only met at a motor park in Lagos for the trip to Katsina. claimed that one Daniel had engaged her to take the package to his brother, Miracle Amechi, an inmate.
He said the carton of biscuits contained sachets of beverages, shirts and N2,500, adding that the suspect claimed that she did not know the real contents of the carton.
The spokesman said the suspect had been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further action.
He further said the Controller of the command, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, had warned visitors against bringing hard drugs to inmates. (NAN)