Immigration rescues 9 human trafficking victims in Jigawa

The Jigawa Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), says it has rescued nine victims of human trafficking in the state.

The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Isma’il Abba, told newsmen in Dutse on Monday that the victims were rescued on Thursday in Kazaure Local Government Area of the state.

Abba said the victims were rescued by the men of the command operating on the Kazaure-Daura-Kwangolam axis on Sept. 2, at about 4 am, saying that the victims, aged between 20 and 29, were rescued on their way to Libya en route Niger Republic.

The comptroller added that the victims, comprising six females and three males, were from Benue, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States.

According to him, only one of the victims was in possession of a Nigerian passport without any visa endorsement on it.

Abba further stated that upon interrogation, the victims confessed to travelling to Tripoli in Libya, through Niger Republic.

“They confessed that they came to Kano individually from their respective states.

“They were put in a vehicle at a park by an agent called Alhaji Ibrahim Kano, which conveyed them to Kazaure, en route Kwangolam, for the onward journey to Tripoli, via Niger,” Abba said.

He, however, said no incriminating items or drugs were found on the victims.

He further advised the general public, particularly parents, to avoid being deceived that their children were being sent abroad for greener pastures.

He said, “Our mother country, Nigeria, is better than what they expect to get abroad in the form of freedom and other expectations.”

Abba, who urged the public to always report cases of human trafficking and other related criminal activities, said the victims would be handed over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). (NAN)