Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have rescued five victims of human trafficking and arrested ten suspected prostitutes in the state.
The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Ari Ali Muhammad, disclosed in a statement issued by the command’s Spokesperson, DSP Bright Edafe, on Wednesday in Asaba, the State capital.
He said that the suspects were arrested on Friday at a brothel located at Otokutu community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, the command acted on credible information that a hotel, located at Aragba in Otokutu, Ughelli South, was being used as a brothel where underage children were being trafficked and used as sex slaves.
“The command, upon receiving this disturbing information, raided the brothel and rescued five underage girls,” he said.
Ali said that investigations revealed that a female suspect, now at large, had been involved in trafficking the underage girls from Rivers to Patani in Delta.
He further said that the victims were forced to take oath in Patani before they were brought to Otu-Jeremi.
The statement reads, “On 15/4/2022 at about 2330hrs, the Command received information that Fagoma Hotel located at Aragba in Otokutu in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State is being used as a brothel where underage children are trafficked and used as sex slave.
“The command upon receiving this disturbing information raided the brothel and the following underage girls were rescued:
1.Happiness Johnson ‘f’ age 13yrs
2.Esther Godspower ‘f’ age 21yrs
3.Angel John ‘f’ age 22yrs
4.Miracle Bishop ‘f’ age 19yrs
5.Happiness Isreal ‘f’ 19yrs.
“Investigations revealed that one Joy ‘f’ surname unknown now at large trafficked the underage girls from Rivers State took them to Patani where they were forced into taking an oath before they were brought to Otu-Jeremi and harbored by one Edwin Etareri the owner of the said brothel and his wife one Mrs Grace Etariri currently in custody.”
He added that ten other male suspects and ten female suspected prostitutes were also arrested during the raid, and that investigation was ongoing.
