The Zone 2 Police Command in Onikan, Lagos, has arrested a syndicate involved in trafficking young Nigerian girls to Mauritania for sexual exploitation.
Confirming the arrest in a statement on Tuesday, the Zonal Public Relations Officer (ZPRO), CSP Umma Ayuba, said the suspects were apprehended on March 22 in the Meiran area of Lagos.
According to Ayuba, operatives from the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad, led by SP Francis Kpoughul, raided the syndicate’s hideout, leading to the arrest of two suspects.
During interrogation, the first suspect admitted to being recruited by a woman in Mauritania, who tasked her with finding girls under 22 for sex work. She confessed to receiving ₦50,000 for each girl she sent and disclosed that she had recruited her 19-year-old daughter, earning over ₦500,000 from the operation.
The second suspect, Ayuba revealed, was initially recruited to source girls for domestic work in Mauritania. However, upon realizing the girls were being trafficked for prostitution, she attempted to withdraw. She stated that the only girl she sent was rejected due to age and body size, which raised her suspicions.
Authorities have assured that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will face prosecution once the process is completed.
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