A patrol team of the Border Drill Officers of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have intercepted 14 female Togolese citizens, including six babies (minors), who entered Nigeria illegally through unauthorized routes within the Ogun border communities.
The illegal aliens were intercepted at Ajilete, a border community in Ipokia Local Government Area of the State in a J 5 vehicle marked Lagos MUS 840 XP and driven by a male driver on Monday.
The Comptroller of NIS, Ogun State Command, Mr. Kunle Osisanya, who paraded the migrants on Wednesday before the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Security, retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Olusola Subair, Port Health Officers and reporters at Idiroko International Border Post, handed them over to the Port Health Service(PHS) in line with the COVID – 19 protocols for necessary action.
Also, a luxury bus marked EJG 366XA was earlier arrested at Ilase, Idiroko, with five persons on board, while the bus was impounded, the people on board were handed over to the PHS and had been undergoing basic quarantine session.
Comptroller Osisanya also paraded five female young ladies – all Nigerians from Delta State, including an expectant mother, who were apprehended by the NIS Operatives at Ilase village near Idiroko Border after gaining entry into the country illegally through unauthorized routes amid lockdown and nationwide border closure.
He said that investigation revealed that it was a case of human trafficking, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Person(NAPTIP) for further action.
“All five of them are Nigerian citizens returning from Burkina Faso enroute Delta State. The victims and suspected female trafficker were taken to the Port Health Service, Idiroko, for screening for COVID – 19 and the results returned negative. Presently, the five are to be handed over to NAPTIP for further necessary action,” he said.
The Comptroller said the Command is committed to ensuring that all land borders in the state remained closed in line with the directive of the NIS boss, Muhammad Babandede, warning unscrupulous persons that dared to violate the border closure would be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.
He commended the efforts of the Ogun state government towards preventing the spread of COVID – 19 in the state and the support being rendered to NIS and sister agencies in securing the state.
Also, AIG Olusola Subair retired who represented Governor Dapo Abiodun at the occasion, commended the NIS for the “doggedness, alertness and commitment” that ensured that the illegal entries into the country through Ogun borders by migrants and human traffickers were prevented.
Subair said the state government remained committed to mitigating effects of the pandemic and warned that violators of the curfew and lockdown would not go unpunished.