Abuja recently witnessed the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) intercepting 10 individuals suspected to be victims of human trafficking. These individuals were allegedly being assisted for illegal migration overseas.
Officers from the FCT Command of the NSCDC intercepted the victims at Zuba motor park in Abuja after receiving a tip-off regarding their return from Minna, Niger State. The victims had traveled to Minna to process their international passports as instructed by their sponsor.
The victims, comprising of one male and nine females aged between 24 and 34, all claimed to be from Ondo State.
Reportedly, each victim had paid N80,000 to expedite the process of obtaining an international passport.
As per a statement released on Monday by Samuel Idoko, the spokesperson for the FCT Command of the NSCDC, the intercepted individuals admitted to being promised opportunities for overseas migration to secure employment, particularly in North Africa and Canada. The sponsor responsible for these promises is yet to be identified, but the victims stated that the individual lives in Okitipupa, Ondo State.
Upon transferring the 10 suspected victims to the Nigeria Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Olusola Odumosu, the FCT Commandant, cautioned Nigerians about the risks associated with illegal migration overseas.
Odumosu emphasized, “Exercise caution when dealing with individuals promising you a brighter future abroad. Avoid desperation, as some of these promises could lead to ruining your life. They may defraud you with false assurances of ready-made employment opportunities, only for you to end up in situations of servitude or forced into sex work.”
He continued, “If you intend to travel abroad, ensure you follow proper procedures that guarantee your peace of mind. Do not allow anyone to take control of your international passport overseas or subject you to commitments that you will later regret.”
The Commandant noted that the victims were handed over to NAPTIP, the agency responsible for combating human trafficking, to conduct further investigations and legal actions.