Arrest Made as Immigration Rescues Five Human Trafficking Victims in Lagos
In a proactive operation conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Lagos Seaports and Marine Command successfully rescued five female victims of human trafficking at the Pashi checkpoint in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State.
According to a report from The News Agency of Nigeria, the rescue mission took place around 9:30am on Wednesday. The victims, all females aged between 15 and 23, were intercepted by the command. Comptroller Mohammed Saddiq, who leads the command, disclosed this information during a news conference on Thursday, August 24, 2023. He noted that the victims were discovered alongside a 26-year-old woman named Mrs. Blessing Anireta, who lacked proper identification or a legitimate means of livelihood.
Preliminary investigations have unveiled that three of the victims, hailing from Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Plateau states, were enticed to leave their homes with the promise of legitimate employment in Mali, Benin Republic, and Cote d’Ivoire. Saddiq remarked, “As of the time of the press briefing, the suspect is still at large. But we are on the trail to apprehend him and other members of the syndicate.”
The immigration authority revealed that the unsuspecting first-time travelers revealed they were connected to a syndicate member in Lagos who managed all travel arrangements to their intended destinations. Two of the victims, who accompanied Anireta from Delta State, disclosed during their recounting of events that they were lured into the journey without their parents’ knowledge. It was further confirmed that they were en route to Mali when they were intercepted by patrolling personnel at the Pashi checkpoint.
Anireta’s involvement in facilitating the failed journey has been established, with evidence suggesting she intended to engage her companions in prostitution in the destination country. The victims, aged between 15 and 23, will be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, along with the arrested suspects, for further investigation after the session concludes.