The operatives of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Ilela border command, Sokoto, have arrested a 25-year-old, Rukaya Hassan, who attempted to traffic two underage girls across the border to the Niger Republic.

The command’s spokesman, Mohammed Abdullahi, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mr Abdullahi said that the victims had been handed over to the National Agency For Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further investigations.

He said the operation was in a swift response to the morale-boosting charge of the new Comptroller of Immigration, Kemi Nandap.

According to him, during interrogation, the young lady who resides in the Giribshi area of Sokoto confessed that she did not know the two young girls she was travelling with to Niger.

“She claimed they were handed over to her by one woman in Sokoto named Maman Adnan, who paid for their transport to Niger,” he stated. “She also claimed the woman requested her to help take the two girls to another woman in Niger, named Amina Yunusa, who will give them jobs in her restaurant in Niamey.”

Mr Abdullahi said that during further examination, the two teenagers, Nabila Ibrahim, 17, and her sister, Zainab Ibrahim, 15, said they hailed from Zuru LGA in Kebbi.

“According to them, they were going to Niger to resume work in a certain restaurant which they didn’t know the owner, but that their parents approved of their trip.

Reacting, the Comptroller of Immigration, Ilela Command, Tony Akuneme, who conducted the interviews, invited the NAPTIP, Sokoto, to take charge of the two victims and the suspected trafficker.

This, he said, would help in further investigation and possible prosecution.

Akuneme reiterated committed to sustaining the campaign against the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons to cascade the efforts of the CG.

The immigration boss thanked officers and men of the Ilela border command for their diligence and promised to reward outstanding personnel.

(NAN)