A yet-to-be-named suspect has been nabbed by the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Oyo State Command for attempting to smuggle six girls into Burkina Faso for commercial sex work.
The suspect traveled from Edo state with the girls to the border town of Saki in Oyo State, where he was apprehended.
Confirming the arrest, the Comptroller of the command, Ekaete Isang, in a statement made available to newsmen at the weekend, complained about the lack of cooperation from grass-roots leaders in border communities of the state, who are said to aid people getting in and out of the country illegally.
The statement said, “Our major challenge in fighting human traffickers and illegal immigrants is logistics because of the expansive nature of the border line in the state. We have met with grass-roots leaders in those communities but their response is not impressive.
“They shield these (traffickers and illegal immigrants) people from arrest and they don’t come up with information.
“We call on the state government to support the command in our effort to maintain order at the borders.
“Meanwhile, the suspect, whose name would be mentioned when investigations are completed, was going to Burkina Faso with the aim of involving the girls in illegal activities such as prostitution.
“Our patrol team caught up with him before he could cross the Nigerian border with them and he was arrested.
“We have reunited the girls with their parents, while the man was handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP.”
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