Nigeria Immigration Service Thwarts Human Trafficking Operation to Burkina Faso

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Lagos Seaports and Marine Command successfully thwarted an attempt to smuggle seven Nigerian girls to Burkina Faso.

Mohammed Saddiq, the Comptroller of the command, revealed the incident during a media conference in Lagos.

The interception occurred on November 12 around 7:00 p.m. The prime suspect, Helen Dandam Nanbyen, a 26-year-old from Wadata village in Plateau State, was arrested.

The NIS had been monitoring the suspects for about two months based on gathered intelligence. The arrest took place along the Pashi waterway, a border area between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

The seven victims, aged 19 to 23, willingly consented to the journey under false identities with the intention of engaging in prostitution in Burkina Faso, according to Saddiq.

The suspects lacked valid travel documents and the financial means for the journey.

Nanbyen admitted her involvement in the illicit business and prostitution, disclosing that she worked with a madam operating a beer-selling spot in Burkina Faso’s capital, Ouagadougou.

Another accomplice, Miss Ella, who recruited four of the girls, is currently at large.

The NIS, under the directive of the Comptroller-General Caroline Wura-ola Adepoju, has intensified efforts to combat migrant smuggling, human trafficking, and other crimes within the maritime space.

The arrested migrants will be reunited with their families through the Plateau State government, while the suspects will remain in custody for further investigation and prosecution.

One of the victims, a 19-year-old, stated that she was told about a job opportunity in Lagos to serve drinks and food in a pub, unaware that she was being taken to Burkina Faso.

The successful intervention by the NIS underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation.

Source: The People’s Gazette