The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) rescued 59 women and children being trafficked from Katsina State to Chad’s capital, N’Djamena.

Borno State’s Immigration Comptroller, Muktari Tanimu Musa, disclosed this in Maiduguri on Tuesday. The victims were intercepted in Ngamboru, a border town near Cameroon.

Musa said the group was travelling with a suspected trafficking agent, who allegedly lured them with promises of “good jobs” in Chad.

“After interviewing them, it became clear they were being trafficked. The agent deceived them with false employment offers. Many of the victims did not understand the risks involved,” he said.

         59 women and children rescued

The comptroller said the command has stepped up surveillance along the Maiduguri-Ngala axis and is working with the Borno State Government to boost border security and stop human trafficking in the area.

He advised Nigerians to be wary of people offering foreign jobs, especially “white-collar” positions abroad, noting that legitimate opportunities exist locally.

Musa warned that traffickers often exploit victims for criminal activities, including organ harvesting, and highlighted that trafficking networks sometimes operate with local support.

“These activities are sometimes aided by community members. But recent breakthroughs came because of stronger cooperation with transport operators, drug control officers, and community leaders in Banki and Ngamboru Ngala,” he said.

He said he had visited border communities to meet local leaders, urging them to share information with officers. The NIS has profiled the rescued victims and will hand them over to NAPTIP for care and investigation.

Musa called on media to support awareness campaigns, saying, “The media play a key role in educating people about irregular migration and trafficking risks. We need their support.”