- Intercepts 34 female victims of human trafficking
- Arrests recruiters, sponsors of human trafficking
Despite the problems posed by COVID-19 pandemic to international air travels across the world, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) processed 239,114 passengers and intercepted many young Nigerian females about to be trafficked through Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja (NNIA) between January 1, 2020 and December 15, 2020.
This was disclosed in a media statement made available by the Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Immigration, Sunday James.
The statement titled: “Review of NIS operational activities at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja in 2020” affirmed that 73,582 Nigerians and 46,665 Non Nigerians departed NAIA, Abuja for various destinations abroad.
The service said its Abuja Airport command also handled 625 Nigerians who were deported and 24 repatriated for various criminal and immigration related offences abroad and a total of 12 foreign nationals who failed to comply with Nigerian entry requirement were refused admission and returned.
“No fewer than 239,114 outbound and inbound migrants passed through NAIA, Abuja between January 1 2020 and December 15, 2020.
So far, 73,582 Nigerians and 46,665 Non Nigerians departed NAIA, Abuja for various destinations abroad. Similarly, 81,277 Nigerians and 37,590
Non Nigerians arrived through NAIA airport within the period under review.
“A total of 625 Nigerians were deported and 24 repatriated for various criminal and immigration related offences abroad. In the same vein, 12 foreign nationals who failed to comply with Nigerian entry requirement were refused admission and returned,” James said.
The spokesman added that 34 Nigerian young ladies between ages of 18 and 28 years who would have become victims of human trafficking, forced prostitution and sex exploitation in Dubai, United Arabs Emirates (UAE) were intercepted at the airport and handed over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigation and rehabilitation.
“34 Nigerians predominantly females (young ladies) were refused departure for non-compliance and violation of immigration regulations
and other extant laws. The young ladies were victims of human trafficking being transported for the purpose of forced prostitution and
sex exploitation and were between the ages of 18 to 28. Their final destination was Dubai, UAE. Upon interception, they were profiled and forwarded to NIS Service Headquarter for further investigation and released to NAPTIP for rehabilitation,” James stated
Similarly, he said the change in the operational strategies employed by NIS facilitated the identification and arrest of persons engaging in illegal recruitment of Nigerian young ladies for forced prostitution abroad.
“In the same vein, the change of
operational strategy led to the uncovering of the persons recruiting and trafficking these ladies via sting operation where six (6) recruiters/traffickers were apprehended (4 males and 2 females). In addition, the identities of 3 recruiters or sponsors resident in Dubai were equally uncovered.
James added, “the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Command, within the period under review, received and handed over 100 Nigerians whose offences are not immigration related to relevant agencies that is, drug related
issues, Financial Crimes, Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants”.
While acknowledging the impact of the transformation agenda of the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, MFR, in the deployment of Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) to enhance air border management at all the airports, the spokesman for the leading border control agency in Nigeria said, “With the deployment of this veritable platform, the Abuja Airport Command has been experiencing smooth and seamless passenger processing.
The Service however appealed to the general public to co-operate with the operatives at airports during clearance procedures to reduce human
contact so as to avoid the spread of COVID-19
