Nigeria Immigration Service arrests 12 foreigners in Lagos, busts human trafficking syndicate

The operation also led to the rescue of two Liberian victims. According to a statement from DCI AS Akinlabi, Service Public Relations Officer, the syndicate allegedly lured foreign nationals to Nigeria with false promises of employment and business opportunities under the guise of the QNET/IGNITE network. The alleged leader, Ouattra Adama, a Burkinabe national, was arrested along with 11 suspected accomplices, including eight Liberians and three Cameroonians.

The 12 suspects and two victims have been transferred to the Service Headquarters for further investigation and legal action. The immigration service described the QNET/IGNITE network as a transnational organized crime syndicate involved in fraudulent employment and business schemes that facilitate irregular migration, with activities extending beyond Nigeria. The NIS urged the public to verify employment, education, business opportunities, and migration offers through appropriate government channels before making financial commitments or traveling internationally.

This operation underscores the Nigeria Immigration Service's commitment to intelligence-driven border management and combating irregular migration and transnational organized crime.