One Rukaya Hassan, 25, has been arrested for attempting to smuggle two underage girls across the border to the Niger Republic.

Naija News understands that the suspect was apprehended by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) attached to the Ilela border command, Sokoto.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Command Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Abdullahi, stated that the victims have been handed over to the National Agency For Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigations.

He also mentioned that the operation was a prompt response to the new Comptroller of Immigration, Kemi Nandap‘s call for increased morale.

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.

“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,” Abdullahi noted in the statement.

He disclosed further that after several examinations, it was discovered that the two teenagers, Nabila Ibrahim, 17 years and her sister, Zainab Ibrahim, 15 years, hailed from Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

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

The Comptroller of Immigration, Ilela Command, Tony Akuneme, responded by inviting the NAPTIP, Sokoto State, to take custody of the two victims and the suspected trafficker for further investigation and potential prosecution.

He emphasized the importance of continuing the campaign against the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons, in line with the efforts of the CG.

Akuneme also mentioned that the Immigration CG expressed gratitude to the officers and men of the Ilela border command for their hard work and pledged to recognize exceptional personnel.

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