MINISTER of Home Affairs, Mr. Clement Rohee has disclosed that his ministry is investigating a growing concern over the increase in the number of African nationals, particularly Nigerians, who are entering Guyana illegally from Venezuela and Brazil.

He said, while immigration officers are probing the matter, Government will spare no effort in tracking down and breaking up any local ring that is engaged in encouraging the illegality.

Rohee said the probe will determine whether Africans are migrating to Guyana or if a ring is using Guyana as a transshipment point for activities such as illegal migration to North America and Europe.

He told a recent press conference that, last year, officials cracked a human trafficking ring, involving a number of Chinese nationals who were using Guyana as a transit point for further travel to North America.

In addition, Rohee also announced that Cabinet has established a ministerial task force on trafficking in persons (TIP).

He said the group has been very active and will soon release its first report.

Minister Rohee said he is pleased with the cooperation and collaboration being developed with the authorities in Trinidad and Tobago, towards addressing allegations of human trafficking of Guyanese nationals through the T&T/Guyana network.

Consequently, his ministry will continue working with all neighbouring countries to address the issue, which is a national crisis, he said.