Nigeria Immigration Service, (NIS) has said it intercepted 189 suspected victims of human trafficking on their way to Benin Republic through the Seme border area.
Acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Isah Jere, disclosed this in a communique, yesterday, saying the victims consist 74 boys and 115 girls, aged 15-20.
The youths, who claimed they were on their way to Emerald University in Benin Republic for commencement of degree programmes, said a faith-based organisation in Imo and Abia States offered them provisional admissions into the school.
They were, however, unable to present neither letters of admission nor evidence of payment of school fees. Moreover, only three of them held valid travel documents.
Speaking at the Zone ‘A’ Headquarters of the service in Lagos, Jere said: “The youths were intercepted in batches on their way out of the country through the Seme border area. Ninety-two of them were intercepted on January 22, 2022, while another 97 were picked up by vigilant operatives on January 24, 2022.”
The victims are from Abia, Kogi, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Lagos and Imo States. Further investigation revealed that two persons, Sunday Emmanuel Chinasa and Ms. Rose Onum Uduma, who were also arrested alongside the victims, coordinated the trips.
The duo claimed they were students of ISCG University in Benin Republic and had been mandated to facilitate movement of the youths to Benin Republic.
Each of the victims were said to have paid N50,000 for the process. Jere called on the general public to beware of fraudsters, who invent diverse antics to deceive unsuspecting people into accepting offers abroad but end up trafficking them for evil purposes.
He said the service, under his watch, would continue to ensure enhanced border security to discourage all forms of irregular migration. He also called on the public to continue to offer useful information to the NIS for a robust fight against cross-border crimes.
The 189 victims have been handed over to officials of the Lagos zonal office of the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further processes.
