Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Lagos have foiled an attempt to smuggle seven girls to Burkina Faso.
The Comptroller of Immigration, Lagos Seaports and Marine Command, Mohammed Sadiq, disclosed this at a media briefing on Friday in Lagos.
He said the girls were intercepted by the agency’s operatives at about 7:00 p.m., on November 12.
The comptroller mentioned one Miss Helen Dandam Nanbyen, from Wadata village in Wase local government area of Plateau as the prime suspect in the move to smuggle the girls to the landlocked West African country.
Sadiq said: “The suspects have been under the command’s radar for about two months following intelligence gathered by our operatives.
“That led to their arrest by the Badagry Marine Border Patrol Team along the Pashi waterway bordering Nigeria and Benin Republic.
“It was uncovered during the course of the investigation that the seven smuggled victims whose ages range from 19 to 23, hail from Langtang North local government area of Plateau State.
“It is important to state that the girls willfully consented to the journey under false identities with intent to indulge in prostitution while in their country of destination.”