The Police Command in Lagos State has apprehended a woman for allegedly attempting to traffic three Kaduna girls to Ivory Coast for prostitution.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the suspect allegedly lured the girls, aged between 18 and 20, from Kaduna State to Lagos with promises of legitimate employment in a restaurant in Lagos.
However, upon their arrival in the Ajegunle area of the state on 23 May, the suspect allegedly informed them that she intended to send them to Ivory Coast.
One of the victims, who refused to be taken abroad, subsequently reported the matter to the police.
Following the report, the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, directed that the case be transferred from the Tolu Division, Ajegunle, to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for further investigation.
The investigation into the allegations of conspiracy, deception and human trafficking is being handled by the Anti-Human Trafficking/Gender Unit of the SCID under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Dayo Akinbisehin.
A police source told NAN on Thursday that the victims were never informed of the alleged plan before leaving Kaduna.
According to the source, one of the victims objected after discovering that she was being taken abroad for prostitution rather than the promised job opportunity.
“She immediately told the suspect that prostitution was not what they had been told they were coming to Lagos for.
“The suspect allegedly took the girls to a motor park with plans to facilitate their movement out of the country.
“Alarmed by the development, one of the victims approached the police and lodged a complaint.
“Following the report, detectives launched an investigation and subsequently apprehended the suspect,” the source said.
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The source added that efforts were underway to rescue the other victims allegedly being held by an accomplice and to trace other persons connected to the suspected trafficking operation.
According to him, investigations have been concluded, and the suspect will be charged in court as soon as possible.
( NAN )
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