Human Trafficking: Police apprehend over 80 illegal immigrants in Lagos
No fewer than 84 illegal immigrants have been intercepted by the Lagos State police command.
Though the mission of the suspects is yet to be ascertained, they are however said to be mainly from Burkina Faso, Niger-Republic, Togo and Benin Republic.
Investigations revealed that the suspects were intercepted at Seme in Badagry while waiting for a boat meant to convey them to Apapa sea Port where they were expected to board a ship to Gabon.
According to the Lagos State Commissioner of police, CP Fatai Owoseni who paraded the illegal immigrants at the state police headquarters in ikeja on Thursday 12th January, the development is a product of swift response to vital information.
Owoseni in his words said, “between 9th and 11th January 2016, information had filtered to the operatives of the command and Border Patrol team from the Force Headquarters on the movement of the immigrants. The police had acted on the information and a total of 84 illegal immigrants who were found to have been shipped into the Country through Seme Badagry were apprehended.
“They made claim they were on their way to Gabon and we’re apprehended while been moved into a vehicle from the water. They will however be transfered to the Nigeria immigration service for further investigation.” He said.
Two of the suspects – Compaoure Musa and Momini Guene alleged they were enroute Gabon in search of a greener pasture.
The 19 year old Compaoure from Burkina Faso claimed his elder brother had paid for him to travel to Gabon in order to work and make more money.
The secondary school dropout said, “we had bordered a boat from Benin Republic and I had expected the boat to take us straight to Gabon. I was however surprised when the boat stopped us at Seme in Nigeria. It was quiet late then and we were told we would be taking a bus to the point where we would have to join a ship that would take us to Gabon.
On whether he had been recruited to join any of the violent Islamic group, Musa said. “yes I am a Muslim but I do not belong to any of the terrorist sect. My journey to Gabon is purely to go and hustle.” He concluded.
Guene who is 28 year old said he is a painter and was told he could make more money in Gabon.
The indigene of Burkina Faso said, “we were at the sea side when policemen stormed the environment and arrested us.
” My brother who is based in Gabon was the one who informed me of the trip and he asked me to meet others at the waterside in Seme where we would take off.”
As to the amount paid by his brother, Guene claimed he had no idea of how much was paid for the trip.
