Two officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service have been arrested for attempted human trafficking through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

The officers, who were arrested on Thursday, were among those who worked at the airport but were said to be off duty as of the time of their arrest.

Eyewitnesses said they attempted to traffic six underaged girls to Omar and Kuwait aboard Ethiopian Airlines before they were caught.

A source at the airport said they were apprehended by officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria at the departure hall.

“The officers had attempted to evade arrest, but a combined team of security agencies at the airport overpowered and arrested them,” the source said.

Another source said the girls had been taken to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, while the officers were detained for questioning.

The NIS spokesperson, Mr. James Sunday, confirmed the incident via a telephone chat with our correspondent.

He said the NIS had ordered an investigation into the incident to reveal the identities of the suspects and apply appropriate sanctions.

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