Abuja Airport Records 239,114 Passengers In 2020 – NIS
A total of 239, 114 passengers passed through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja between January 1 and December 15, 2020, the Nigeria Immigration Service has stated.
During the period, 625 Nigerians were deported and 24 repatriated for various criminal and immigration-related offences abroad, while 34 Nigerians, predominantly young females, were refused departure.
The service explained that the ladies aged 18-28 were victims of human trafficking being transported for forced prostitution and sexual exploitation in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The NIS spokesman, Sunday James, disclosed in a statement in Abuja on Monday that the ladies were profiled and sent to the NIS headquarters for further investigation and subsequently released to the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for rehabilitation.
The statement titled ‘Review of NIS operational activities at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in 2020’ further noted that a sting operation resulted in the arrest of six human traffickers comprising four males and six females.
Besides, the identities of three recruiters/sponsors resident in Dubai were equally uncovered.
The statement said that 12 foreign nationals, who failed to comply with Nigerian entry requirements, were refused admission.
The NIS stated, “No fewer than 239,114 outbound and inbound migrants passed through NAIA, Abuja, between 1st January and 15th December 2020. So far, 73,582 Nigerians and 46,665 non-Nigerians departed NAIA, Abuja, for various destinations abroad.
“Similarly, 81,277 Nigerians and 37,590 non-Nigerians arrived through NAIA airport within the period under review. A total of 625 Nigerians were deported and 24 repatriated for various criminal and immigration-related offences abroad.”
The Airport Command, according to the statement, during the period received and handed to relevant agencies over 100 Nigerians arrested for drugs, financial crimes, human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
