The ring leader of a human trafficking syndicate, Ms Omowunmi
Michael, who specialises in selling out young girls for prostitution, was
arrested during a recent attempt to smuggle four girls to Mali.
The 30-year-old suspect was arrested at her
Iyana-Ipaja home by operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp
(NSCDC), Lagos State Command.
The operatives also rescued four young ladies, Aloaye
Joy, 22; Victoria Oshioke, 18; Amaka Eze, 23; and Anuoluwapo Mustapha, 22, who
were being prepared for their sojourn to Mail.
It was learnt that Omowunmi's arrest was sequel to
a disagreement that erupted between the victims and the gang leader over how
much to be paid by the former.
The suspect had demanded an upfront payment of N1
million by each of the victims before she would hand them over to the main
dealer who is based in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
It was also learnt that the suspect, having failed
in her desperate bid to secure any financial commitment from the victims,
threatened to return them to Edo State where they were recruited.
It was further gathered that out of anger, two of the
victims, Aloaye Joy and Victoria Oshioke, stormed out of the house and where
asking a truck driver to give them a lift to Benin-city when they were first
sighted by an operative.
Parading the suspect at the Command headquarters in
Alausa, Ikeja, the Commandant of NSCDC, Lagos State Command, Otiobhi Ehi
Cyprian, said the suspect was arrested for allegedly trying to traffic four
ladies to Mali for prostitution.
The commandant said the suspect was apprehended on January
15, 2020, at about 9.20a.m. at number 13 Abuke Oku Street, Iyana Ipaja.
He said at the time of arrest, the suspect had in
her house four ladies, who she intended to traffic.
According to him, "Michael is alleged to have
recruited the victims to travel to Mali for prostitution. Two of the victims,
Victoria Oshioke and Aloaye Joy, were transported from Benin-city, Edo State,
by one Favour who is currently on the run, while Amaka Eze, who hails from
Onitsha in Anambra State, was linked to the suspect by one Lekan."
The commandant, while discouraging other vulnerable
young ladies from falling into the hands of human traffickers who may promise
them good jobs abroad, stressed that the dangers of human trafficking cannot be
understated.
Oshioke, in
her confessional statement, said she was first trafficked to Mali when she was
16 years old by her boyfriend.
She said her boyfriend sold her to the syndicate
based in Cotonou, who in turn took her to Mali where she was made to sleep with
different men.
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