A Toyota Hiace conveying twenty-one (21) trafficked minors from Niger state to Niger Republic was intercepted at the Geidam border in Yobe state by the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS.
NIS Comptrollerin Yobe state, Sani Sule-Jega, revealed this while handing over the children to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, for further investigation.
Sule-Jega reported that the minors aged between 7 and 15, were being transported from Magama Local Government Area of Niger State to Maine Soroa in Republic of Niger.
“Our core mandate is border security and migration management, and this interception is a testament to our commitment.”
“They were travelling without any documentation, which raised our suspicion; hence, we handed them over to NAPTIP for proper investigation”.
The suspected trafficker, identified as Abubakar Sadiq, aged 28, claimed the children were being taken to Niger Republic for educational purposes.
Sadiq claimed parents of the minors had requested him to find affordable schools for them in Maine, Niger Republic.
The command has handed over the case to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and action.