THE Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos has helped stopped the trafficking of 100 Nigerian girls from January till date.
The Comptroller of the command, Kemi Nana Nandap said the girls were prevented from travelling following the deployment of the Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) while calling for sensitization for young girl as many of them are daily being hoodwinked into submitting their freedom for a ‘better life’NIS intercepts 189 traffic victims without travel documents heading to Benin Republic-based university
MIDAS is a user-friendly and customizable Border Management Information System (BMIS) which helps to collect, process, store and analyze traveler information and share data in real-time across an entire national border network.
The Comptroller speaking during the pre-arrival briefing of some returnees to the airport said through the application of MIDAS, a lot of successes have been recorded in stopping potential traffickers.
According to her, many young girls were usually lured with juicy job offers outside the country only to turn them into sex slaves.
She however said through the officers’ thorough investigation, proper checks of passengers’ travel history, they were able to detect potential cases of trafficking. Human Trafficking: NIS saves 18 year old victim from prostitution, slavery in Dubai
She said, “MIDAS has revolutionised border management and made our borders more secure. We usually bring in these girls, profile them. The Comptroller General of Immigration is very keen about border management so that we can stop trafficking which has a lot to do with border control. We have deployed more men at the airport and put in place so many protocols for departure.
“The departure protocol is now more rigorous. We have very talented, dedicated officers manning various points at the airport and this has reduced those going out irregularly. NIS rescues 150 suspected human trafficking victims at MMIA, processes 58,000 pax on VoA in 12 months
“We screen them thoroughly. We have put in place a lot of checks and balances. We have been able to regulate the departure of some of these young girls. Most of them have the illusion that it is better out there but we have to educate them. We have some of them coming back with horrific stories. A lot needs to be done in sensitising our young girls.â€
