The Lagos State Police Command says it has rescued 10 teenage girls from being trafficked to some West African countries for prostitution.
This was confirmed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the success of the operation.
Hundeyin said that the crack squad of the command located at Gbagada area of Lagos got intelligence report that a syndicate, who specialised in trafficking underaged girls, were planning to move some girls out.
“The squad went into action to track the activities of the syndicate, and within one week, two suspects were arrested, while 10 young girls, between ages 16 years and 23 years were rescued.
“The girls were brought by the suspects from Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Ogun and Benin Republic,” Hundeyin said.
According to him, the suspects were intercepted at the point of departure at Mazamaza area of Mile 2 – Badagry Expressway, adding that the families of the girls had were contacted and would be reunited with their families as soon as possible.
Hundeyin said the police were on the trail of other suspects, stressing that those arrested would be charged to court on the completion of investigation.
Some girls, who spoke to newsmen during the briefing, said they were promised lucrative jobs in some West African countries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that two of the girls were of same parents from Imo, while two others were also of same parents from Abia.
One of the suspects (name withheld), who claimed to be an international driver, said a Ghana-based Nigerian woman requested that he should bring two girls for her, a job he had been doing for about two years.
He said he had carried many girls more than four times to the female trafficker who operated a restaurant in Ghana, stressing that he was aware that some girls were being used for prostitution.
The suspect claimed he always paid 1,000 CFA Franc to get each girl across the Benin Republic Border, while he paid N1,000 to Nigeria Immigration officials to take the water route
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