Two officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service attached to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos have been arrested by members of the Aviation Security (AVSEC) of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for allegedly aiding human trafficking.
THISDAY gathered from an insider that the officers had attempted to traffic six underage girls to Omar and Kuwait aboard Ethiopian Airlines before they were arrested.
The arrested officers’ names were given as O. Arayinbo and Awosanmi G and were said to be off duty when the allegedly committed the nefarious act.
The AVSEC officials apprehended the two immigration officers at the departure hall of the airport when they attempted to escort the six girls to board the aircraft.
Eye witness account indicated that the Immigration officers had attempted to evade arrest, but the combined security agencies at the airport ensured they were arrested.
As at the time of filing this report, the arrested officers have been taken to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further prosecution.
The incident was also confirmed by a senior security official at the airport who said that there was a syndicate that helps to facilitate human trafficking, which the Thursday arrest may have been busted.
The spokesman for immigration, Mr. James Sunday confirmed the arrest disclosed that the service had ordered for a thorough investigation to further reveal the syndicates.
He added that the arrested officers would be transferred to the headquarters in Abuja for appropriate disciplinary action, stressing that the service would not tolerate such indiscipline act among its men.
THISDAY also gathered that five officers of Immigration were last week arrested by the police for similar offence by the Nigeria Police personnel at the airport.
The five arrested officers are still in detention at press time, but it could not be ascertained if they have been transferred to Abuja or detained in Lagos.
THISDAY learnt that top officials of Immigration at the headquarters in Abuja had notified the workers of the agency that there has been underground investigation into the activities of Immigration officials nationwide by the intelligence agencies with concentration at the ports and the airports.
These agencies include the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
