Oyo State command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday says it has rescued no fewer than 88 trafficked persons between January and July this year.
Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit), Foluso Akintola, made this disclosure while speaking with journalists in Ibadan.
He said that during the period, the command arrested 12 suspected human traffickers, including 37 end-users of the victims.
Akintola said, “Within the period, one Togolese victim and one end-user were handed over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for rehabilitation and prosecution”.
He added that 18 victims and two traffickers were repatriated to the Republic of Benin and Togo, respectively, through their consular offices.
Akintola stated that the command facilitated the reunification of a Nigerien, Beninoise and Togolese trafficking victims with their biological parents residing in the state.
He further disclosed that some cases of alleged human trafficking were under investigation.
Akintola said that the incidence of human trafficking was declining in the area and attributed it to the concerted efforts of officers in the command.
He called for collaboration of stakeholders, especially in regular education and sensitisation of the people, saying that such would help to further reduce the cases in the state.
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