By Ikhili Monday EBALU, Benin City
The Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has arrested a 40 years old woman and mother of nine, Mrs Halimatu Omoruyi Osifo, for offences bordering on human trafficking.
Addressing newsmen in Benin City, the Commander, NAPTIP Benin Zonal Command, Nduka Nwanwenne said, Mrs Osifo, who hails from Igbanke but presently residing in Ugboko village, in Orhionwon LGA of Edo State, was arrested by operatives of NAPTIP, with the support of officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
He said the suspect, recruited two victims, Miss X (18 years old) and Miss Y (20 years old) and promised them lucrative work outside the country.
Mrs Osifo, the suspect was said to have sent the two girls to her daughter called Blessing aka Stella, who is based in Togo for prostitution.
“As soon as they arrived Togo, Blessing procured skimpy dresses and introduced them into prostitution and collected their earnings.
Exhausted by the ordeals of prostitution, one of the girls, threw in the towel and said, “I will not prostitute again, if they want to kill me, I am ready to die.” The girls had to hide some of their earnings to escape before being rescued by NAPTIP.
Reacting to this development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli said the Agency is poised to smoke out human traffickers wherever they maybe in Nigeria.
She warned traffickers not only to relocate out of Nigeria but give up their illicit business. The Director General added that the Agency is already gathering intelligence in endemic communities in Nigeria with a view to getting traffickers out of business.
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