Ify Obinabo, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said this through her spokesperson, Chidimma Ikeanyionwu. She said the suspect was caught by the ministry and the State Police Command on her way to Akwa Ibom.
She said that the victims were rescued two days before Christmas, while the suspect was brought before the Children, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka, where she was denied bail and sent to prison.
She said that the suspect promised the victims, who were 15, 14, 15, and 13 years old and from Akwa Ibom, jobs in Agbor, Delta State.
According to the commissioner, the victims were also told they would be selling drinks in a beer parlour, but when they got there, they found out they were being brought to do prostitution.
The statement says, "The operation was carried out on Thursday night with the help of the Anambra State Police Command after the Women and Social Welfare boss got a hint about the crime."
"Without thinking twice, she jumped into action with her team and security agents and made sure the suspect was in court the next day."
The commissioner said that the government was still committed to making sure that human traffickers were not given special treatment in the state. He urged people to always report any suspicious activity in their area.
"The Prof. Chukwuma Soludo-led administration will not leave any stone unturned to make sure that traffickers are dealt with according to the law," she said.
One of the victims said they were paid N400 a day from the N1,000 or N2,000 that the men they slept with gave to their ma'am.
"The men pay N2000 or N1000 directly to our madam, but she only gives us N400 a day to eat. "Because the men pay directly to Madam Success, we don't have any cash on hand," she said.
According to the victim, about five different men slept with them every night, and their skimpy clothes were bought with money from the business.
"We tried to escape a few times, but when one of us told our madam, we got in trouble."
"We were punished for that, and then we were taken to a herbalist who made us swear that we would never run away or we would die," she said.
Even though they were sorry that they were tricked into it because they needed money for school, the victims were grateful that the Commissioner came to their aid and gave them a place to stay.
(Source: thenationonlineng.net)
