The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has successfully rescued five human trafficking victims in Côte d’Ivoire.
Abdullahi Adamu, the area command’s comptroller, revealed this at a press conference on Friday.
Adamu explained that Nigerian Immigration Attachés in Côte d’Ivoire, working with the Nigerian community and various partners, played a crucial role in identifying and rescuing the victims.
He noted that the immigration service provided vital support to ensure the victims’ safe return to Nigeria.
“These girls, aged between 17 and 21, were trafficked on June 15, 2024, to Côte d’Ivoire through irregular routes by notorious traffickers,” Adamu said. “The traffickers lured them with promises of better jobs in Côte d’Ivoire. They were later subjected to emotional abuse and forced into prostitution.”
Adamu added that the victims are currently receiving counseling and other necessary support. The command plans to hand them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Lagos to reunite them with their families and take further necessary actions.
He also mentioned that the traffickers are on their watch list for potential arrest.
“This operation underscores the commitment of the comptroller-general of the immigration service, Kemi Nana, to combating migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and protecting vulnerable migrants,” Adamu stated.
Officials from Port Health, Nigeria Customs, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and their Béninois counterparts were present at the conference.
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