The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has prevented the trafficking of two underage girls out of the country by a suspected human trafficking ring at the Alimosho Passport Front Office in Lagos State.
The alleged female trafficker had presented the girls to NIS officials as her daughters, claiming they needed passports to travel out of Nigeria.
However, the immigration officers discovered that the woman’s age gap and the ages of the girls did not match her claim that she gave birth to them. The suspect later admitted that the girls were recruited for commercial exploitation abroad.
Sources at NIS revealed that many suspected human traffickers had been arrested at the Alimosho Passport Front Office since its launch on January 30.
A senior officer noted that traffickers had wrongly assumed they could easily obtain passports at the new front office. However, every form is scrutinized and due diligence is ensured, making it impossible for them to succeed.
The Passport Control Officer (PCO), Ayoola Malaolu, confirmed the arrest of the latest suspected trafficker and commended the officers for their professionalism and dedication to duty.
Malaolu also appealed to passport applicants to follow the online application process and payment platform and to exercise patience and follow the queue.
Trafficking in persons, especially young girls, for financial exploitation disguised as education, work, or a better life is a growing illicit trade in Nigeria.