Court remands two for alleged human trafficking

The presiding judge, Justice Alero Edodo-Eruaga, ordered the remand after the accused persons were arraigned for various offences contrary to the provisions of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. The prosecution alleged that the first accused person, Ugbo, prepared to further an act of trafficking in persons, facilitated foreign travel, which promoted prostitution, and participated as an accomplice in the commission of an offence, contrary to Section 13 (4a) and (4c) of the Act. The second accused, Rhoda aka Mama Bobo, was charged with conspiracy, contrary to and punishable under Section 27 of the Act. The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Ugbo was said to have been arrested while attempting to collect a registration fee of N50,000 from a prospective victim, who he promised to take to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Two other victims were said to have been rescued at his residence while planning to traffic them out the country. The State Commander of NAPTIP, Mr. Nduka Nwanwenne, who confirmed the arrest, said that on arrival and commencement of work, the victim had been expected to pay the sum of $22,000 to her madam and another $1,000 to the first accused person. “The first accused person, Monday Ugbo, also told another victim who was rescued, that she was going to pay the sum of €26,000, apart from taking an oath with her body parts to ensure that she would not run away from her madam,” Nwanwenne said in a statement. “The victim, who actually administered the oath, had a bird placed on her chest during the oath-taking ceremony,”‎ he added. In her reaction, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, ‎described the court order as a welcome development. Okah-Donli also reiterated the commitment of the agency to eradicate human trafficking in the country.]]>