The Nigeria Police Force has arrested two suspected human traffickers, Ejiofor Izuchukwu and Nzube Okafor, for allegedly attempting to traffic 10 girls to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos State, Usman Belel, who confirmed this during a press briefing on Friday, said the victims were rescued in the Republic of Benin, following an intelligence report received from a non-governmental organisation through the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos.
He said, “On August 8, 2021, the bureau received an intelligence report from a non-governmental organisation through the Nigeria Police Force State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, that 10 girls were about to be trafficked to Dubai, UAE, through Cotonou and were lodged at NIS Hotel, near Scoa Gbeto, Cotonou, Republic of Benin, preparatory for their departure.
“The National Centre Bureau, Abuja, INTERPOL, was able to inform our counterpart at NCB in Cotonou, who swung into action and apprehended two suspects, rescued the 10 girls and repatriated them to Nigeria. The names of the suspects are, Ejiofor Izuchukwu and Nzube Okafor. The rescued victims are, Gold Uwaifor, 13; Ella Moses, 21; Abigail Onyenweaku, 26; Alex Destiny, 21; Ebri Ikpi, 23; Samuel Igwe, 24; Debby Noyogiere, 23; Eneh Inalegwu, 21; Akuchi Ndubuisi, 32; Happiness Ndukwe, 25.”
The AIG added that, in the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the traffickers belonged to a syndicate based in Dubai, with some agents in Nigeria and Cotonou.
“They (suspects) were able to secure some of the victims’ passports from Nigeria while others were obtained from the Republic of Benin with the assistance of some immigration officers who backdated the stamp on their passports to fulfil the two weeks quarantine period despite their arrival at the Republic of Benin some days before their rescue. They were scheduled to be airlifted on August 19, 2021, to Dubai. On this note, the 10 girls are hereby handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further actions while the INTERPOL assists the agency in locating and arresting other members of the syndicate in their countries of residence,” he added.
In another development, the AIG confirmed the arrest of four suspects, Owolabi Sodiq, 28; Michael Shittu, 28; Olaide Opeifa, 40; Olanrewaju Maja, for allegedly killing one Ifeanyi Godfrey, 52, in the Ijede Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
He explained that one Oluwatosin Onamade wrote a petition against the suspects, adding that the command commenced an investigation and arrested the suspects who confessed to the crime during interrogation.
Belel said, “The suspects were alleged to have murdered Ifeanyi Godfrey, 52, at Western Funeral Home Limited Cemetery, Compound, Abule Eko Bus Stop in the Ijede Local Council Development Area, Ikorodu, Lagos State. The case was investigated by DSP Bologi Abdullah and his team. The suspects’ statements were taken under caution where they confessed to the crime; search warrants were executed at their house and premises where the stick they used to murder the victim was recovered. Efforts are still being intensified to arrest others at large.”
Meanwhile, one of the school teachers of the Shom International School, identified simply as Steve, has been arrested for allegedly defiling a pupil of the school in the Surulere area of the state.
The AIG said the business studies teacher in the Junior Secondary School section of the school met the victim on Facebook and both became Facebook friends.
“Afterwards, the suspect introduced the victim to an extra lesson he was doing for students within the school premises and asked the victim to inform her friends. To the victim’s utter dismay, she got to the venue at the school premises but met Steve and his younger brothers, whom Steve instructed to excuse them.
“The suspect threatened the victim with a knife, stripped off her clothes and unlawfully had carnal knowledge of her with force and thereby defiled her, with a strict warning that she would die if she informed anybody. The suspect took advantage of the victim’s naivety several times at different places before she eventually opened up to her parents. Meanwhile, a case file and the parties have been referred to the legal section for vetting, advice and possible prosecution,” Belel said.
He also stated that one Cyril Ndego, 33; Stephen Clement, 33; Ani Amachi, 32; Osatin Omorogieva, 25; and Joy Omowunmi, 42, and others were arrested for alleged armed robbery and kidnapping during an investigation in Lagos and Edo states.
The AIG stated, “The case was investigated by DSP Bologi Abdullah and his team, suspects’ statements were taken under caution where they confessed to the crime. Investigation into the matter is ongoing to arrest the other suspects at large.”