Operatives at the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos have arrested suspected human traffickers and cultist, a statement by the zonal spokesperson, Chief Superintendent of Police Ayuba Umma said yesterday.
Umma said the zonal command also recovered firearms, ammunition and voter’s cards from some criminals.
According to the statement, the suspects were arrested at Ayobo, Ipaja in Lagos, while the alleged cultists were nabbed at Ijebu-Ife in Ogun State.
Umma said the human trafficking syndicate allegedly led by one Stella Edem was smashed on March 22 by the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad (ZIRS) led by Superintendent of Police Francis Kpoughul, who stormed their base at Command Meran, Lagos and arrested Edem along with one Susan Michael.
Umma said Edem confessed to the crime, adding that she was introduced to the business by one Anabel based in Mauritania, and Rosemary Isaiah Otobong, who has been prosecuted for the same offense and is serving jail term in the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCOS) facility.
“She added that Anabel contracted her to recruit young girls below 22 years to be used as sex workers in Mauritania and that she was being paid N50,000 as commission on each young girl sent to Mauritania.
“She confessed that among other girls she recruited is her 19-year-old daughter, citing that she has so far received over N500,000 from Anabel,” said Umma.
Continuing, the zonal spokesperson said Michael revealed she was contracted by Edem to recruit young girls to serve as domestic staff in Mauritania but upon questioning and further inquiries she discovered the girls were to be used as sex workers.
“She said she withdrew from the said business, adding that the only girl she sent to Stella Edem was rejected due to age and body size and it was at that point she felt something wasn’t right,” said Umma.
On the suspected cultist, Umma said he was arrested during a raid of a hideout for Eiye cult members in Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State, who had terrorised the community.
She said the zonal command received intelligence and the Dragon Squad II (ZDS-II) led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Akeem Adeyemi was deployed for a discrete operation.
The police team, Umma said, raided the hideout of the cult group on March 19, while they were allegedly planning an attack and one Orekoya Abayomi, 54, was arrested while others escaped through a nearby bush.
“He led the team to his residence where the following items were recovered: One local single barrel pistol; six live cartridges; 21 Voter’s Cards with different names (suspected to be fake), and one Emerald Pump Action Gun with Breach No. 1335.
“Investigation is on-going and suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigation,” she added.
