By Aliyu Dangida
HOTPEN – The Nigeria Immigration Service, Jigawa State Command has rescued nine victims of human trafficking in the state.
The State Comptroller, Ahmed Dauda Bagari revealed this while addressing newsmen over the weekend in Dutse.
He said the victims were rescued at the Tsamiyar Ilu immigration checkpoint in Kazaure local government on their way to Europe through the Niger Republic border.
A. D. Bagari explained that, in the process of stopping the driver, he attempted to run away and his action caused a minor accident forcing him to stop.
Some of the victims sustained injuries and were taken to General Hospital Dutse for treatment while the driver was handed over to police authority.
The State Comptroller noted that the nine victims within the age bracket of 22-37, consisting of eight females and a male were travelling from the Southern part of Nigeria to Europe.
“The rescued victims are from Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Oyo and Enugu, they are on their way to Europe via Tripoli through the Niger Republic border,” he said.
Parading the victims before journalists, Bagari cautioned parents to be vigilant about the movement of their children. Saying travelling abroad will only cause untold hardship ranging from hard labour, and slavery among others rather they should be encouraged to be self-reliant.
He noted that the Comptroller General of NIS, Idris Jere has directed the immediate handing over of the affected victims to NAPTIP for onward handing over to their respective parents, while the command will beam its searchlight to fish out the victims’ agents to face the full wrath of the law.