NIS seeks cooperation with Border Host community

Saturday, November 19, 2022 12:58 pm

Isa Jere Idris, Comptroller General NIS

Esther Komolafe

The Controller of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Seme border axis, Mr Fatai Olajiire, has sounded a note of warning to the general public to adhere to the law against illegal activities of human trafficking at the border axis. He said this during a chat with TheNEWS in his office recently.

The act that he described as barbaric and inhuman does not exalt the nation. Comptroller Olajiire on behalf of his team at the SEME border axis is pleading with the border host community to be more cooperative, and vigilant and report any notice of illegal moves in their environment that will help the NIS succeed in its assigned duty in the terrain.

He narrated a case of a girl that was just rescued recently by his team at the border.

The girl named Bolanle was brought to be smuggled out of the country to Benin by her boyfriend but was rescued and handed over to her father in his office.

Comptroller Fatai’s team rescued the victim who who was taken away from his father in the far eastern part of Nigeria and landed at SEME to be crossed into Benin for hustling according to the story she narrated.

He also reiterated that this has been the most common happenings in the area and how luck has been against the perpetrators, they have been so unlucky as his officers have been intercepting them although there are some few cases where the okada rider carrying them will increase speed so much so that the officers will have to let go in order not to record loss of lives.

He stressed that the trend of human trafficking has its inherent risks and dangers in the form of survivors being exposed to slavery, forced labour, organ harvest and even death in the desert and sea en route to their perceived destination. He advised the general public to report cases of human trafficking and other related criminal acts to the nearest security agencies.

He appealed to the host community not to harbour criminals who have refused to recognize the law governing the land border but to see the NIS presence as part of norms.