The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) Zone 2 Command has arrested a woman and her accomplice for allegedly trafficking young girls, including her own daughter, to Mauritania for commercial sex work in exchange for N50,000.
The Zonal Public Relations Officer, Umma Ayuba, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday, stated that the suspects were apprehended at their hideout in the Meiran area of Lagos State on March 22.
Investigations revealed that the syndicate collaborated with accomplices in Mauritania to lure and traffic victims under false pretenses. Upon their arrest and interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to their involvement in the crime.
The statement read, “Operatives of the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad led by SP Francis Kpoughul stormed their base, where two suspects were apprehended.”
Ayuba disclosed that the primary suspect confessed to being introduced to a woman based in Mauritania by another individual, who had previously been convicted for the same crime and is currently serving a jail term.
“She admitted to receiving N50,000 for each girl she recruited and trafficked, including her 19-year-old daughter. The suspect also revealed that she had received over N500,000 from her Mauritanian contact,” Ayuba stated.
The second suspect admitted that she was recruited by the primary suspect to help find young girls to work as domestic staff in Mauritania. However, she became suspicious when a girl she recruited was rejected based on age and body size.
“She said that after further questioning, she realized the victims were not being sent for domestic work but were being used as sex workers. That was when she decided to withdraw from the operation,” Ayuba added.
The police assured that investigations are ongoing and that all parties involved will face the full wrath of the law. They urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to human trafficking.
