Nigeria Immigration Rescues 59 from Human Traffickers
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has rescued 59 women and children from a human trafficking syndicate while they were being transported from Katsina State to N’Djamena, the Chad Republic capital.
The victims, who were lured with promises of “good jobs,” were intercepted at Ngamboru, a border town near Nigeria’s frontier with Cameroon. Immigration officials said the trafficker transporting them was acting through irregular migration routes to conceal the operation. The Borno State Comptroller of Immigration, Muktari Tanimu Musa, said initial interviews revealed that the victims had no legitimate employment arrangements and were unaware of the dangers awaiting them. “These individuals were being exploited under false pretenses,” he said. Authorities warned that traffickers often target vulnerable populations, especially those seeking work abroad, and use deceptive offers to move them across borders. Victims are at risk of forced labour, criminal exploitation, and other forms of abuse. The rescued women and children have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for proper care, counselling, and investigation. NIS has intensified border surveillance and continues to work with community leaders and state authorities to prevent such trafficking attempts. Officials urged Nigerians to use legal migration channels, verify job offers abroad, and report suspicious recruitment activities to prevent falling victim to traffickers.
