Time Up For Human Traffickers

Time up for human traffickers
By SAM ANOKAM
Thursday, July 12, 2007 
•Suspect
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Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), through its eagle-eyed operatives, recently apprehended some suspected human traffickers.

According to the spokesman for Zone A of the service, the suspected traffickers devised different techniques to beat security operatives, adding that Immigration officers have always uncovered their plots.

The suspect, Mr. Gbadamosi Tokunbo, claimed to be a football coach but he could not substantiate his status and had no documents to prove where he was taking the three girls he claimed were honouring an invitation from a football club, Kopion Football Club, based in Finland.

The victims, Loveth Okoro from Abia, Nasifat Ibikunle Iya and Esther John both from Ogun State, who were supposed to travel by Air France to Finland had passport numbers A3125125A (Okoro) A3635239A (Nasifat) and A3449573A (Esther).
On investigation, it was discovered that the club they claimed they belonged to in Ajegunle was non-existent while the letter of invitation did not have a letter-heading. There were also other irregularities in the documents.

Another suspect, Mr. Idowu Ajibola, from Oyo State, who was apprehended as he was about to board a plane heading for Ireland, had two minors, Ayobami, 7, from Oyo State and Sadiku, 14, from Ogun State with him.
According to him, he was helping his friend who is resident in Ireland, to bring his daughter, Sadiku and also taking his own son, who bears another name in the passport to Ireland.
Investigators, however, placed a call to the purported father of the victim in Ireland who gave a different version of the story, contradicting Ayobami’s claim.

Mrs. Ruth Ogbodo Umezulike, who had a baby strapped on her back as she was bound for Malawi via Ethiopia, said she wanted to visit her daughter but could not explain how she came about the baby on her back.
Umezulike claimed to have six children, two boys and four girls. But she said the girls died while the boys are still alive. When Immigration contacted the husband, he said they had four children, adding that two died.

The woman first claimed to have just given birth to the baby. She later changed her story, claiming that the baby was adopted. She, however, failed to show the adoption certificate.
Also, one Sanwo Shakiru from Osun State, was arrested while he was trying to cross the Nigerian.

The suspect claimed he was taking her to Senegal but could not produce any identification card or travel documents.
The Zone ‘A’ spokesman disclosed that the traffickers usually manipulated their way through the border to Senegal, adding that if they survived the rigours through Morocco to Spain, they would probably end up in Italy.
He commended the efforts of the Comptroller General, Mr. Joseph Udeh, for his motivation and encouragement of the immigration officers. He also commended the Assistant Comptroller General in-charge of Zone ‘A’, Mrs. Olufunke Davis, for her efforts in laundering the country’s image by combating human trafficking.
He said the suspects would be handed over to NAPTIP for counseling and prosecution.

Lol.

yawn. ;d