LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A 26-year-old victim of human trafficking who was heading to Libya has been turned over to the National Agency for the Prevention of Trafficking in People(NAPTIP) by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Kebbi State.
The Comptroller of the NIS in the State, Mrs. Rabi Bashir-Nuhu made this known while handing over the victim to NAPTIP in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
According to her, NIS operatives saved the victim.
”Immigration officials at the border post in Yauri intercepted Ajoke Michael as she made to cross to Libya from illela border in Sokoto state.
“When we interrogated her, she said someone gave her a number belonging to one yet-to-be identified man who would pick her up at the illela border.
”She is believed to be a victim of human trafficking,” she said.
The comptroller gave Nigerians assurances that the NIS would not let anyone who benefits from human trafficking evade its reach in the State.
The victim described the situation, saying that one Mrs. Edu, who lived in the Lagos neighbourhood of Ikorodu, recruited her to come to Libya for prostitution.
“I became frustrated when I couldn’t get any job to do after graduating as a hairdresser in Lagos.
“I was ready to do anything to survive. I accepted the Libya journey when Mrs Edu mentioned it to me.
”She took me to the park where I boarded a vehicle en route illela border,” she said.
She added that the woman who recruited her for the Libya journey told her she would be joining her daughter and husband who are based there.
Alhaji Sadiq Atiku, the State’s head of NAPTIP operations, who met with the victim, promised to find and bring to justice anyone responsible for the scheme to transport the girl to Libya.
He said the victim would undergo rehabilitation and training in skills before she is reunited with her family.
Atiku commended the NIS for collaborating with the agency to curb human trafficking in the country.