TheCable

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has arrested five suspected human traffickers who specialise in luring victims to Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

Mohammed Umar, the NIS comptroller in Oyo, said out of the 10 suspects arrested, five were members of a syndicate that lures “mostly Ghanaians” to Nigeria, with the promise of helping them travel to Canada.

Umar, while handing over the suspects to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on Thursday, said the two agencies were collaborating to fight against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants in the state.

He said that the collaboration with NAPTIP in carrying out a raid on the hideout of the suspected human traffickers led to the arrest.

“The victims came to Ibadan with the intention of going to Canada only to be handed down with business in the form of network marketing,” he said.

“Because the victims felt they have been deceived and most likely could lead to forced labour, which is not their intention of coming to Nigeria, they complained to NAPTIP.

“NAPTIP, being alive to its responsibility, approached us and we jointly carry out the raid and now we are handling over five suspects to them.”

Receiving the suspects, Augustine Akanya, the head of NAPTIP in the state, said the agency would carry out a diligent investigation on the suspects and would be made to face the full wrath of the law if found guilty.