Immigration rescues 6 human trafficking victims in Jigawa

The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Jigawa Command, said it rescued six victims of human trafficking in the state.

The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Ahmed Bagari, told newsmen in Dutse on Monday that the victims were rescued by men of the command on Sunday.

Bagari, represented by DCI Muhammad Yako, said the victims were rescued at about 6:30 pm in an uncompleted building in Babura town, the headquarters of Babura Local Government Area of the state.

He explained that the victims, aged between 20 and 35, were intercepted while on their way to Libya en route Niger Republic.

The comptroller added that the victims, five females and a male are from Oyo and Nasarawa states.

According to him, none of the rescued victims was in possession of any travel document and no incriminating items were found on them during interrogation.

“The victims were rescued on Sunday, the 1st January 2023 on their way to the Niger Republic en route Libya. The victims are made up of five females and one male that hailed from Oyo state; only one of them is from Nasarawa State,” he stated.

The victims, Olalekan A. Alabi, 35, Kehinde Adetunde, 26, Afolabi Ajibola, 24, Adedoyin Adetoji, 20, Olawuyi Mose Bolatimoyo, 35, and Blessing John, 22, were rescued in an uncompleted building in Babura town where they were kept by a syndicate, the comptroller said.

He added that the NIS Comptroller-General, Mr Idris Jere, had directed that the victims be handed over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, for further action