Police Arrest 2 ‘human traffickers’, rescue 3

The Police in Lagos state have arrested two suspected human traffickers, even as three young women, who were allegedly lured by the suspects from the Southeast with job promises in the state, were also rescued.
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos, CP Imohimi Edgal, who made this known at a press briefing, yesterday, at the command headquarters said that the suspects were using their victims to make money.
According to him, “On July 1, 2018, the command received information that Ikechkwu Egbulefu and Vera John were involved in human trafficking.
It was alleged that they brought some girls from Imo, Akwa-Ibom and Rivers to Lagos State for prostitution.
“On the strength of the information, FSARS operatives were directed to investigate and arrest the suspects involved.
Investigation led to the arrest of the suspects at Wagbas Hotel Ajah, a suburb of Lagos and three victims were rescued,” the police commissioner said.” He said that the suspects allegedly took their victims to a shrine in Epe-Ijebu where they were made to swear an oath that they would not abscond from the hotel, adding that the victims’ were compelled to hand over proceeds from sleeping with at least than 10 men daily to the suspects.
He said that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.
In a related development, the command had also arrested 137 people suspected to be cult members during initiation and marking of their Annual Ritual Day.
CP Edgal said the suspects were arrested while celebrating 7/7 under the guise that they were having a birthday party, at different locations in Ikorodu and Ogombo Areas of Lagos.
While parading the suspects before journalists, he said: “This command had on July 5, 2018 warned cultists preparing to observe their sacred day called the “7th Day of the 7 Month”, not to converge on any part of the state.
We also encouraged good Nigerians to give information about this group of persons anywhere they are seen.
Based on credible intelligence available to the command and which was communicated to the Officer In-Charge, Anti-Cultism, 120 suspects were arrested at Ikorodu.” He said that the suspects were undergoing initiation rites and preparatory to unleashing mayhem on the larger society, noting that 17 suspected cult members were also arrested at Ogombo, Aja Area of the state during initiation rites and celebration of the 7/7 date.
“I have ordered that they should be profiled, after which their parents and guardians will be invited for questioning.
We are also using this opportunity to warn parents, guardians and those that have some form of mentorship to dissuade these youths from cultism.
We want to put them on notice that it is their responsibility to know who their children associate with and that this particular police administration will not tolerate any form of cultism,” he said.