The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has begun profiling 22 teenagers rescued from a brothel on the premises of Kolab Hotel on Ayetoro Road, Ogun State, with a view to rehabilitating them, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
The agency had also launched a manhunt for the syndicate involved in the sex trafficking of the victims, especially underage girls among them, trafficked from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
Our correspondent had uncovered how minors were being forced into prostitution at the facility, posing as a client to speak to one of the girls, Abigail (pseudonym), who recounted her harrowing six-month experience having sex with men in exchange for N500/N1,000 collected by one Madam Nelly.
After the undercover investigation, police stormed the hotel, rescued 22 persons and arrested some male suspects, including the hotel manager, Isaac Ogbaji, and supervisor, Samuyiwa Olatunde.
The police consequently handed over the victims and two prime suspects to NAPTIP on Monday for further investigation.
The Zonal Commander, NAPTIP Zonal Command, covering Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, Mr Ganiu Aganran, told our correspondent on Friday that the agency had commenced profiling of the teenagers and tracking of their traffickers.
On Abigail, who has yet to be found, Aganran said the government of Cross River State, where she hails from, had shown interest in her matter, noting that the agency would intensify efforts to locate her.He said, “We knew about the case through PUNCH’s publication last Saturday. Thereafter, I got a call from the Area Commander, Sango-Ota. On Monday, 22 victims and two suspects were handed over to us and we took them to our office. At the moment, we are profiling them (the victims); they are largely from Akwa Ibom State. (Punch)