The Lagos State Police Command has thwarted an alleged human trafficking operation and arrested a woman accused of attempting to traffic three young women from Kaduna State to Côte d’Ivoire for prostitution.
The suspect was apprehended following a complaint lodged by one of the victims, who reportedly uncovered the alleged scheme after arriving in Lagos.
Sources familiar with the investigation said the suspect had lured the victims, aged between 18 and 20, from Kaduna to Lagos under the guise of securing legitimate employment opportunities in a restaurant. However, upon their arrival in the Ajegunle area on May 23, the women were allegedly informed of plans to transport them to Côte d’Ivoire.
One of the victims reportedly rejected the proposal and alerted law enforcement authorities after realizing that the promised jobs did not exist.
Acting on the complaint, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Fatai Tijani, directed that the matter be transferred from the Tolu Police Division in Ajegunle to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Yaba, for a comprehensive investigation.
The case is being handled by the Anti-Human Trafficking and Gender Unit of the SCID under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the department, Mr. Dayo Akinbisehin.
According to a police source, the victims were allegedly unaware of any plans to take them out of the country before leaving Kaduna.
“The girls were promised legitimate employment in Lagos. One of them became suspicious and objected when she discovered that they were being prepared for prostitution abroad rather than the jobs they had been offered,” the source disclosed.
The source further revealed that the suspect allegedly took the victims to a motor park in preparation for their movement out of Nigeria before the plan was disrupted.
Concerned by the development, one of the young women reported the matter to the police, prompting detectives to launch an investigation that led to the suspect’s arrest.
Investigators are also working to rescue other victims believed to be in the custody of an alleged accomplice and to identify additional members of the suspected trafficking network.
Police authorities said investigations into allegations of conspiracy, deception, and human trafficking have been concluded, adding that the suspect will be arraigned in court in the coming days.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable young Nigerians from exploitation under false promises of employment and better opportunities abroad.
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!