The Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) on Thursday, intercepted 21 minors between 7 years and 15 years, suspected to be victims of human trafficking at Geidam town near the Nigeria-Niger Republic Border in Yobe state.
The Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service in the state, Sani Sule-Jega, while handing the minors over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), revealed that the children were being transported without documents, which made the movement suspicious and drew the attention of the officers who decided to delve into the root of the matter even though the suspect has claimed to be their guardian.
He reiterated the commitment of the Immigration services in ensuring bother security and enforcing appropriate immigration management all over the country.
“These are minors between the ages of seven to fifteen who were intercepted at Geidam border Out-Post in Geidam local government area of Yobe state. The purpose of that out-post is to checkmate all illegal entry because our core mandate is border security and migration management,” he said.
“They are coming from Magama local government area of Niger state to Niger Republic. They are travelling without travel documents to back up their journey, that is why we are suspecting them, we have handed them over to the appropriate authority, the NAPTIP for further investigations.”
However, Abubakar Sadiq, who is alleged to be a human trafficker said he was relocating the children to the Niger Republic with the consent of their parents to go and start school over there considering the affordability.
“It was their parents that asked me to look for a school that is cheap, that is why I am taking them to a school in Maine in Niger Republic,” he said.
The suspect alongside the driver and the victims were handed over to the NAPTIP for further investigation.
