The Nigerian Immigration Service has intercepted 21 minors suspected to be victims of human trafficking at Geidam town near the Nigeria-Niger Republic Border in Yobe state.
The Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service in the state, Sani Sule-Jega, while handing over the suspected victims to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the children are between the ages of seven to 15 years.
According to him, the minors were being transported from Magama local government area in Niger state to the Niger Republic for studies and do not have any travel documents.
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“These are minors between the ages of seven to fifteen who were intercepted at Geidam border Out-Post in Geidam local government area of Yobe state. The purpose of that out-post is to checkmate all illegal entry because our core mandate is border security and migration management,” he said.
“They are coming from Magama local government area of Niger state to Niger Republic. They are traveling without travel documents to back up their journey, that is why we are suspecting them, we have handed them over to the appropriate authority, the NAPTIP for further investigations.”
The prime suspect, Abubakar Sadiq, who is also their guardian told Channels Television that the children are being transported to Niger Republic for studies.
“It was their parents that asked me to look for a school that is cheap, that is why I am taking them to a school in Maine in Niger Republic,” he said.
The guardian, the driver and the suspected victims have been handed over to the NAPTIP for further questioning.
