By Halimah Olamide
The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has handed over 11 victims of human trafficking to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Sokoto.
The Service’s Public Relations Officer (SPRO), Controller of Corrections (CC), Mr Tony Akuneme said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Akuneme said that the victims were repatriated back to Nigeria by the Niger Republic Police and handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service at the Illela Border Command.
According to him, the Comptroller of Immigration, Illela Border Command, Ado Rano-Sabo revealed this on Friday March 10 while handing the victims over to the Zonal Commandant of NAPTIP in Sokoto.
“The 11 victims who were all women, were apprehended in Niger Republic on their way to Libya.
“The young women are from different parts of the country and of various ages ranging from 19 to 37, “he said.
Akuneme advised Nigerians to desist from undertaking such perilous journeys, noting that most victims ended up being used for labour exploitation, prostitution or organ harvesting.