NIS rescues 18 human trafficking victims in Kano
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued 18 suspected victims of human trafficking in Kano, according to the NIS Assistant Comptroller in the state, A.T. Yayaji
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, Yayaji said that personnel of the service rescued the victims on April 26, at Zaria Road and Kurna/Rijiyar Lemo along Kano-Katsina Road, following an intelligent report received of an unusual suspected movement of migrant smuggling.
The victims, comprising four males and 14 females aged between 21 and 43, were intercepted while on their way to Libya through Niger Republic for greener pastures.
None of the victims had any travel documents, and it is a clear attempt at illegal border crossing, Yayaji said.
The victims hailed from Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Enugu, Lagos, and Delta States.
Yayaji stated that the victims had been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to be reunited with their families after counselling.
He urged residents of the state to report cases of trafficking and other related criminal acts to relevant authorities, while also advising parents to desist from sending their wards to seek greener pastures in other countries to protect them against slavery and organ harvest, among others.
The incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria has been a cause for concern for both the government and the international community, with reports of people being trafficked to countries such as Libya, Italy, and Saudi Arabia.
The government has been making efforts to combat the menace, with various agencies collaborating to identify and rescue victims, and prosecute perpetrators.
