From: Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse
The Jigawa State command of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested four victims of human trafficking and one human trafficker while attempting to cross Nigeria/Niger border en-route Libya.
Parading the victims and their trafficker, on Tuesday, in Dutse, the State Comptroller of Immigration, Kyari Mohammed, told journalists that the victims and their trafficker were arrested while attempting to cross the border with a valid ECOWAS traveling certificate.
According to him, the victims and their trafficker would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Person and Other related Matters (NAPTIP) for further investigation.
He named Chidi Aghedo from Delta State, Asemota Courage from Edo State, Ukphali Victor from Delta State and Anthony Francis from Edo State were the victims while Ike Frank from Anambra State was the trafficker.
“Five persons have been intercepted by the men of Nigeria Immigration Service while trying to cross the Nigeria/Niger border heading to Libya. Four victims of human trafficking were arrested along side one human trafficker.”
Speaking, Frank denied being a human trafficker saying, he only met the four others in a bus while coming from his state to Jigawa through which he was planning to cross the border.
He added that they came to realise they were all heading for Libya in the course their discussion but said their aspiration was, however, cut short when they were intercepted in Maigatari border town of Jigawa State after they failed to present their traveling passports.