By Ibrahim Bello
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has handed over to NAPTIP, a 17-year-old girl from Oyo State arrested in Kebbi while allegedly on her way to Libya.
The girl was traveling alone when she was arrested by immigration personnel in Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi.
The NIS Comptroller in the state, Mr Rabiu Bashir-Nuhu, made this known while briefing newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
He said that although the girl said she was travelling to Sokoto, “we have the belief that she is being trafficked to go to Libya to be used for labour exploitation, prostitution or organ harvesting”.
Bashir-Nuhu explained that the girl was intercepted at Yauri border on Nov. 26, unaccompanied, thereby raising suspicion about her movement.
According to him, the girl said she was sent by her mother to meet one Zainab in Sokoto, who however claimed to be sick when invited to the NIS office in Kebbi.
“This made us to believe that the girl was a victim of trafficking; she has no any document, has nothing and not even a penny.” Bashir-Nuhu added.
The controller said it was disheartening that in spite of warnings by NIS and its partners, parents still allow their children to undertake such perilous journey.
Receiving the victim, the state Commandant, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Alhaji Misbahu Iyya-Kaura, said the agency would investigate the matter.
He said human trafficking was an organised crime that required concerted efforts to contain.
“We are going to investigate the recruitment, transit and the final destination of the victim,” he said, and commended NIS for collaborating with the agency to tackle human trafficking in Nigeria. (NAN)
