Thirteen victims of human trafficking have been rescued by the police in Katsina State.
Two suspected human traffickers were arrested in the process.
The 13 rescued victims are made of 10 women and three men, all from the Southern part of the country.
The spokesman of the Katsina Police Command, SP Gambo Isah, making the confirmation in a statement, explained that the victims and the two suspected traffickers were intercepted in Mashi on Wednesday and brought to Katsina on Thursday evening.
According to the statement, the victims were intercepted by the police after being taken to Libya through the Niger Republic.
The statement explained, “When our operatives intercepted them (the victims and the suspected traffickers) at Mashi, they claimed to be on their way to Libya as some agents were already waiting for them there. We shall, however, take the victims to the hospital for medical check-up and thereafter contact their relatives.”
The statement further explained that the two suspected traffickers would be subjected to further investigation to see whether the police can nail other members of their gang.
According to the statement, the rescued victims are Taibat Bello, 2 (Kwara), Bukola Martin, 27 (Ondo); Mansura Azziz, 21(Osun); Funmilayo Adetunji,18 (Ondo); Emel Oluchi, 24(Anambra); Zainab Ala, 23 (Delta); Gift Uche,19 (Lagos); Tayo James,19 (Lagos); Nafisa Asimiu, 21 (Lagos); Oriyomi Abdul, 24 (Ogun); James Olusegun, 24(male, Benue); Adetunji (no surname), 36 (male, Lagos) and Emmanuel Gabriel, 21 (male, Akwa Ibom).
The two suspected traffickers, the statement said, are Muntari Magaji, 35 and Salman Sani, 35 all from Babua local government area of Jigawa state.
The statement explained that Magaji told newsmen that he and his colleagues were working for another trafficker who is based in Libya.
He explained that the victims had not paid any money for the botched trip but the arrangement is for the victims to work for a year in Libya to offset their bills.
Taibat Bello, one of the rescued victims, explained that the situation in Nigeria forced her to take such step.
She confessed that she has been assured of getting a good job in Libya, and they agreed to offset their bills to their agents as soon as they begin work in Libya.
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