The Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Oyo State Command has arrested five suspected human traffickers, who specialised in luring unsuspecting victims in Ibadan.
Comptroller Mohammed Umar, the state NIS Comptroller revealed on Thursday while handing over the suspects to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) at its headquarters in Ibadan.
Mr Umar said that NIS and NAPTIP in the state had been collaborating in fighting against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
The NIS had therefore received a request from NAPTIP to jointly carry out a raid on the hideout of the suspects upon discovery of the illegal activities.
According to him, “Out of the 10 suspects arrested, we are able to establish that five are members of syndicates that are experts in luring mostly Ghanaians in disguise of bringing them to Nigeria, specifically Ibadan and prepare them for a package to enable them to travel to Canada.
“Because of that enticement, these victims submitted themselves and came to Ibadan, only to find out that what was sold to them was a scam.
“The victims came to Ibadan with the intention of going to Canada only to be handed down with business in the form of network marketing.
“Because the victims felt they have been deceived and most likely could lead to forced labour, which is not their intention of coming to Nigeria, they complained to NAPTIP,”
Receiving the suspects, the Head of NAPTIP in Oyo State, Augustine Akanya, said that the agency would carry out diligent investigation on the suspects and would be prosecuted, if found guilty.