Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Maiduguri, Nigeria — The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has arrested a suspected human trafficker and rescued 59 women and children who were being moved toward N’Djamena, the capital of Chad, in an operation along the Borno State border. The interception highlights intensified border security efforts and collaboration among security agencies and community stakeholders to curb human trafficking and irregular migration in the region.
Borno State Comptroller of Immigration, Muktari Tanimu Musa, announced the development in Maiduguri on Tuesday, saying the victims were stopped at Ngamboru, a border town close to Nigeria’s frontier with Cameroon. The group was being moved from Katsina State toward Chad with a suspected trafficking agent, according to Musa. Initial interviews with the rescued individuals revealed that they had been lured with promises of “good jobs” abroad — offers that turned out to be false and part of an apparent trafficking scheme.
Musa described the situation as a clear case of human trafficking, explaining that many of the victims were unaware of the risks involved in the journey and had entrusted themselves to the suspected agent on the basis of promised employment opportunities. The use of deceptive “white-collar job” offers and paid agents is a common tactic traffickers employ to recruit vulnerable individuals, particularly women and children, for exploitation beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Authorities said that the NIS has strengthened surveillance along the Maiduguri–Ngala corridor, a major transit route toward neighbouring countries, and is working closely with the Borno State Government to tighten border security and disrupt trafficking networks using the corridor. Collaboration with transport operators, drug control officials and local community leaders in Banki and Ngamboru Ngala has contributed to recent operational breakthroughs.
In response to the incident, Musa urged Nigerians to exercise caution when presented with foreign employment opportunities, especially those involving informal arrangements outside proper visa and migration channels. He emphasised that individuals should seek legitimate job opportunities within Nigeria or pursue overseas opportunities through formal and legal processes to avoid falling prey to trafficking networks.
Musa also warned that traffickers sometimes exploit victims for criminal purposes, including organ trafficking and other forms of exploitation, and noted that these networks sometimes operate with support from local intermediaries. He said that recent successes by the NIS have been made possible by improved cooperation with local stakeholders and enhanced intelligence sharing.
Following their rescue, the 59 women and children were profiled by immigration officers and will be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further care, assistance and investigation. NAPTIP, established in 2003 as Nigeria’s lead anti-trafficking law enforcement agency, works to support victims of trafficking and prosecute offenders under Nigerian law.
The Borno State Comptroller called on media organisations to support ongoing public awareness initiatives about the dangers of human trafficking and irregular migration. He said that media support is crucial in educating communities about the risks posed by traffickers and in reinforcing messages about safe, legal migration and the protection of vulnerable populations.
Criminal networks that traffic people across borders remain a significant concern in Nigeria, particularly in regions with high levels of poverty, unemployment and displacement. The Borno rescue adds to a series of interventions by Nigerian authorities to dismantle trafficking rings at strategic transit points and to protect individuals from exploitation. Authorities continue to appeal to community members to provide timely intelligence to law enforcement to disrupt trafficking routes and support prosecution of suspects.
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