In a midnight operation at the weekend, the Benin zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) arrested one Action Mudiaga (M) (29), at Uwheru, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, for a suspected case of human trafficking.
In a statement signed by the Benin commander Nduka Nwanwenne, on Tuesday, said an earlier attempt to arrest the suspect met a brick wall as the suspect escaped through the roof and jumped into the river.
The suspect, according to the statement allegedly trafficked a 14-year-old primary 5 pupil of Udu Primary School, Uwheru to his sister, Ejiro, in Mali, who equally handed over the victim to one Madam Shakira who exploited her.
“Before the journey from Nigeria, the victim was lured into believing that she was going to work in a supermarket.
“However, in Mali, she met other girls clad in pants and bra in a house, who were also being exploited. The victim was equally to be given pants and bra and forced to meet with male customers.
Her objection earned her undeserved beatings and denial of food. She succumbed after a few days. All her earnings were collected by Madam Shakira.
“Upon pressure form the victim’s parents on the suspects, they were forced to release the victim after Ejiro, one of the traffickers, promised to replace the victim with another girl.
“The Command swiftly commenced investigation, after a complaint was lodged, which led to the arrest of the suspect. Investigation is on to fish out other accomplices.”
In her reaction, the Director General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, said there was no escaping for human traffickers in the land, sea or air, adding that the traffickers will always be fished out in the Agency’s effort to rid the country of human trafficking.”
