Immigration rescues ’21 minors from traffickers’ in Yobe

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) says its operatives have intercepted 21 minors, suspected to be victims of trafficking, at the Geidam border post in Yobe state.

Sani Sule-Jega, the Yobe state comptroller of the NIS, spoke on Thursday while handing over the children to the officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation.

Sule-Jega said the minors, aged between seven and 15, were without travel documents and were being transported from Magama LGA of Niger state to the Republic of Niger.

According to Sule-Jega, the suspect, Abubakar Sadiq, claimed that the parents of the minors requested him to find affordable schools for them in Maine, Niger Republic.

He said the driver of the vehicle conveying the kids, the suspected trafficker and the rescued children have been handed over to NAPTIP for further investigation.

“These minors, aged between seven and 15, were intercepted at the Geidam border outpost,” NAN quoted him as saying.

“Our core mandate is border security and migration management, and this interception is a testament to our commitment.

“They were travelling without any documentation, raising our suspicion; hence, we handed them over to NAPTIP for proper investigation.”