Two young women and a boy have been rescued from suspected human traffickers by immigration personnel at the Yauri border in Kebbi State. The rescued victims were said to be on their way to Libya through the Ilela border in Sokoto State when they were intercepted.
The two women’s names were given as Rosabeth Udi (24) and Benita Udaje (19) from Delta State, while the boy, Yako Jiji, from Benue State, were being transported to Libya by two men and a woman who claimed to be the victims’ uncles and aunt when immigration officials at the border in Kebbi intercepted them.
While briefing journalists, Kebbi’s immigration Comptroller, Rabi Bashir Nuhu, said that upon interrogation the victims said they were directed by the traffickers in Libya to contact some men upon their arrival in Sokoto.
She said, “Our suspicion is that the girls are being recruited by the traffickers for prostitution and the boy for organ harvesting. The girls were directed to do HIV and hepatitis tests. This is usually the procedure for those being lured for prostitution in Libya.”
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While handing over the victims to NAPTIP, the immigration comptroller lamented that, “The more the command makes efforts to intercept them, the more they use other routes to get to Libya.”
While receiving the victims, NAPTIP’s Head of Operation, Sadiq Atiku, said they would intensify investigation to arrest the traffickers. He assured that the victims would be reunited with their families after undergoing rehabilitation.
