Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, yesterday said his administration and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) had resolved to strengthen ties towards curbing the menace of human trafficking and illegal migration in the state. The governor disclosed this when the new Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Edo State Command, Mr. Kayode Eniolohunda and other senior officials of the service visited him in his office at the Government House, Benin City, the state capital.
Obaseki, who noted that the state government was determined to curb human trafficking and illegal migration, stressed that the government would count on the support of the service, particularly in the areas of investigation and prosecution. The governor said: “With the feelers we have received so far, we are confident that human trafficking will be reduced by at least 50 per cent before the end of this year.
“We are encouraged by the support we received from the European Union (EU) and have agreed to have a conference in the state before June, this year, where we will reveal all the steps taken to deal with the menace of human trafficking and illegal migration in the state.”
He pointed out that local government councils in the state had been directed to secure office spaces for officers of the service to enable them integrate properly into the state’s security architecture. However, the governor pledged that his administration would continue to work with the NIS so as to secure visas and other necessary documents for foreign investors willing to invest and do business in the state.
Comments
