By Michael Chukwuebuka, Reporting
THE Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued some teenagers in Yauri LGA, Kebbi State, who were arranged to be trafficked to Libya.
While addressing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Monday 6th, the state’s NIS comptroller, Rabi Nuhu, said among the rescued victims are two orphans, 15 and 18.
One of the orphans, during interrogation, said she was enrolled in a Baptist High School in Ondo State with her sister before a cleric arranged for them to travel to Libya.
“Our pastor in Muranu Agba Church arranged out travel to Libya and we have his contact and contacts of those that will call as soon as we reach Sokoto.
“We are going to Libya to do work to earn a means of livelihood,” she revealed.
The victims, according to Nuhu, were apprehended while they were on their way to Sokoto.
“It is a pity that in spite of our calls, talks, and advice to parents on looking after their wards, they still don’t listen.
“The girls were intercepted by Yauri border patrol on 5th February as they were travelling from Ondo to Sokoto unaccompanied and alone.
“The officer became suspicious of them as they are being trafficked out to work in Libya.
“Some of them will be enslaved and mishandled.
“They said a pastor prayed for them and made them fast for seven days so that their journey will be successful. That means, the pastor has a hand in their trafficking.
“They have number of their contact if they reach Sokoto, including the pastor’s contact.
“We have to apply Pact 10 and 11 of Immigration Act 2015, receive them and hand them over to NAPTIP,” Nuhu told newsmen.
The head of operations, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), Sadiq Atiku, while receiving the victims, commended the efforts of the NIS, and stated that the case will be properly investigated:
“We thank NIS for making our job easier and we are going to investigate thoroughly.
“We have so far successfully arraigned some of the suspected traffickers who have connections with previous victims of trafficking as handed over to us by NIS.”
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