The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has dismantled an alleged transnational human trafficking and fraudulent recruitment syndicate operating in Lagos State and arrested 12 foreigners linked to the operation.
NIS public relations officer, DCI AS Akinlabi, in a statement, said the arrest followed actionable intelligence on trafficking syndicates operating in the state.
The statement said the syndicate allegedly lured foreign nationals into Nigeria with false promises of employment and business opportunities under the guise of the QNET/IGNITE network.
NIS identified the alleged syndicate leader as Ouattra Adama, a Burkinabe national.
He was arrested alongside 11 suspected accomplices, comprising eight Liberians and three Cameroonians.
The service said two victims were also rescued in the process.
The statement said the 12 suspects and the two victims have been transferred to the Service Headquarters for further investigation and necessary legal action.
The immigration service described the QNET/IGNITE network as a transnational organised crime syndicate allegedly involved in fraudulent employment and business schemes used to facilitate irregular migration.
According to the service, the group’s activities extend beyond Nigeria, with investigations indicating links to a wider cross-border criminal network.
The NIS urged members of the public to exercise caution and verify offers of employment, education, business opportunities and migration through appropriate government channels before making financial commitments or embarking on international travel.
‘The arrest of the syndicate leader and other facilitators demonstrates the Nigeria Immigration Service’s commitment to intelligence-driven border management,’ the statement added.