Human traffickers now using ECOWAS travel certificates to evade arrest, Nigerian Immigration raises alarm
The Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Bayelsa State Command, on Thursday December 29, raised the alarm on the increased use of ECOWAS Travel Certificates, ETC, by human traffickers to evade suspicion and arrest. The Command stated that the discovery is the result of a directive from the Comptroller General of Immigration Service Isa Jere Idris, MFR to heads of Commands and special formations of the Service towards the end of the year to ensure water-tight border control and management. The Public Relations Officer for NIS in Bayelsa, Ibiemo Cookey, in a statement in Yenagoa, said in line with the directive of the Comptroller General, a trafficked victim by name Miss Maureen Ekpe, was rescued and released to the family, while the alleged trafficker was at large. Cookey noted that the NIS, in Bayelsa, observed sudden increase in the rate at which young people obtained the ECOWAS travel certificate. "The Bayelsa State Command headed by Comptroller James Sunday, ...