NIS advises parents & guardians on juicy offers to children & wards

Abiodun OBA

The Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, has called on parents and guardians to be wary of juicy offers on their children and wards, from family and non-family members to take their children abroad.

The advice was contained in a statement by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Sunday James following the apprehension of 9 girls being trafficked at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), on Saturday in Lagos.

The girls were on their ways to Lebanon, Cairo, Dubai and India on Ethiopian, Peace, Egypt and East Airlines.

Babandede said, “Most of these trips are deceitful, camouflaged with employment, studies or visit which may end up in exploitation or death. Operatives at the various entry and exit points will never permit them departure.

“The NIS stepped-up clearance operation that is yielding positive result in the various arrest made at the borders of the country by NIS.”

Four of the girls were said to claim that they were traveling for employment without knowing their employers nor aware of the nature of job they were going for.

“This discovery was made after intensive interrogation by NIS officials,” he said.

The statement further revealed that the shady journey was organised by agents who took advantage of the girls’ innocence and ignorance as two of the girls had earlier claimed to be going for visit.

“However, the two, later confessed they were going for hustle in Dubai. Another three, of the girls, claimed they were going to India for medical treatment without referrals.

“When further asked the nature of sickness they said yellow fever before they finally confessed to be going for hustle in India,” he said.

He said NIS refused their departure to save them from indignity to be faced from such journeys.

“Most of these trips are deceitful, camouflaged with employment, studies or visit which may end up in exploitation or death. Operatives at the various entry and exit points will never permit them departure.”