By Abigail Philip David
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Jigawa Command, has rescued 10 suspected victims of human trafficking in the state.
NIS Comptroller Mr. Tahir Musa revealed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Dutse.
According to Musa, the victims were intercepted on Sunday by the command’s Operation Salama team around 1:00 p.m. at Tsamiyar Kwance in Babura Local Government Area. They were reportedly en route to the Niger Republic, intending to travel to Europe.
The group, comprising two males and eight females aged between 21 and 30, included six individuals from Ogun State, two from Ondo State, one from Oyo State, and one from Imo State.
“During profiling and interrogation, the victims confessed they had been transported from various locations to Kano State before proceeding to Babura on their way to the Niger Republic and eventually Tripoli, Libya,” Musa explained.
He added that their ultimate goal was to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe.
Musa urged parents to monitor and guide their children to prevent them from falling prey to traffickers who lure victims with false promises of a better life abroad.
He commended the NIS Comptroller-General, Mrs. Kemi Nandap, for her proactive leadership in combating irregular migration, supported by the Jigawa State Government.
The rescued victims have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation and necessary actions.