The Nigeria Immigration Service has revealed that a syndicate is behind the recruitment of young Nigerians for terrorist group, Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS).
Two Nigerian youth were recently arrested by the Indian security service while on their way to Iraq to join ISIS.
The pair, who are from Kano, Imran Kabeer and Sani Jamiliu were caught by the Punjab Police in India, after scaling a barbed wire fence near the international border.
According to the NIS, a syndicate processed travelling documents and visas for those recruited for ISIS.
The immigration service however, says that it is working with other security agencies to apprehend members of the syndicate.
NIS Public Relations Officer, Emeka Obua, said on Saturday, that the service had started intense profiling of travellers as part of measures to deter radicalised citizens planning to join terrorist groups abroad.
He said: “Nigeria is a catchment area for recruiters because of the high number of jobless people in the country. The terrorist group has a syndicate that arrange travel documents, visas, ticket and money for their recruits. To counter this, the NIS now engages in intense profiling of travellers.”
“We have always had problems of Nigerians going abroad for greener pasture. We look at the age of the intending traveller and the person he is travelling with, put them by the side and profile them thoroughly. What are their intentions for going abroad? Where are they going?”
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