The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has stopped the trafficking of Imo State University (IMSU) student and two other teenagers to Greece Mali and Turkey for commercial sexual exploitation, also known as prostitution.
In addition, the federal anti-trafficking agency announced that the perpetrators of the trafficking have been arrested and are currently awaiting trial in a court of appropriate jurisdiction.
Imo State NAPTIP Commander, Ernest Ogbu clarified this as part of a one-day security awareness program organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the International Organization for Immigration (IOM) to combat drug abuse, illegal immigration, human trafficking and cybercrime, held at Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Ogbu, who lamented about the high rate of human trafficking in the state, said:
“In Imo State this year, we have at least 10 cases of human trafficking and one of such cases has been charged to court. Human trafficking is very common in the state.”
“We have made some arrests in Imo State, where a young man took two young girls. According to him, his sister who is in Turkey had asked him to arrange some girls who will come over to assist her in her business.
“These children were taken to Abuja, heading to Kano when they raised the alarm that attracted our attention.
“When we started investigating, we found out that the person who recruited them was from Imo State. And we immediately went after him, and got him arrested.
“During the investigation, we also learned that the sister was in Mali and not in Turkey. We have several of such cases.
“We also have a student of Imo State University, who was about to be trafficked to Greece. They were preparing travel documents for her without the knowledge and the knowledge of her parents. We were able to get the information through her friend. We were able to stop such an unplanned journey in collaboration with the officers of the Nigeria Immigration Services.
Therefore, he warned students and youth against what he described as unplanned and irregular travel abroad, stressing that Nigeria still have better opportunities for travels.