NIS rescues victims of human trafficking in Katsina, Kebbi

Thirty people who were being trafficked throughout the state have been rescued by police and immigration officials in Katsina and Kebbi.

The victims acknowledged they were being trafficked out of the nation in separate statements on Friday.

The remaining 21 victims were saved in Kebbi State, while nine were saved in Katsina State.

The nine victims were saved by a police squad in Daura Local Government Area with the purpose of transporting them to Libya via Niger Republic, according to Gambo Isa, the police spokesperson for Katsina State.

According to Mr. Isa, the authorities received a tip regarding the traffickers' actions, which led to the rescue effort.

“In the course of an investigation, the victims stated that they were conveyed from Kano State to Daura by a driver, who on sighting the police team, abandoned the victims and took to his heels. They further stated that they are en route to Libya through the Niger Republic border,” he said.

Mr Isa said those rescued were from Ondo, Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna and Enugu states.

Those rescued were: Timilaye Ojo, Blessing Joseph, Khadija Abdullahi, Safiyyat Ahmed, Precious Nuhu, Bolanle Adewusi, Okpoekwu Eunice, Kabirat Azeez and Taiwo Adeola.

The Nigeria Immigration Service personnel in Kebbi State saved 21 children from an Islamic cleric who was planning to transport them to Senegal and Mauritania.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons received the rescued victims, according to a statement from the state's NIS Comptroller, Rabi Nuhu (NAPTIP).

The victims, 19 men and 2 women, were apprehended in the border town of Kangiwa.

“On interrogation, the children revealed that they were going to Senegal for Maul’d celebration and to proceed to Mauritania with the intension to seek Islamic knowledge,” Mrs Nuhu said.

She claimed that bogus ECOWAS passports were issued to the 21 kids and the Islamic cleric from the Bida region of Niger State.

While Katsina State has a border with Niger Republic, Kebbi State's western border is shared with both that country and the Benin Republic.

Traffickers primarily use those states to transport their victims to Libya with the intention of travelling to Europe from there.

Source