Police Arrest Two for Alleged Trafficking of Young Girls to Mauritania

Nigeria Police Force have arrested a woman whose identity was not disclosed alongside an accomplice for allegedly trafficking young girls to Mauritania

Operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a woman and her accomplice for allegedly trafficking young girls to Mauritania for commercial sex work in exchange for N50,000 per victim.

The Zonal Public Relations Officer, Umma Ayuba, confirmed the arrests in a statement on Tuesday, stating that the suspects were apprehended at their hideout in the Meiran area of Lagos State on March 22.

Investigations revealed that the syndicate collaborated with accomplices in Mauritania to lure and transport young women, under the pretense of offering them better job opportunities. Upon their arrest and interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to the crime.

According to Ayuba, operatives of the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad, led by SP Francis Kpoughul, raided the location and took the suspects into custody. The first suspect disclosed that she had been introduced to a Mauritania-based woman by another individual who had already been prosecuted for a similar offense and is currently serving a jail sentence.

Further interrogation revealed that the first suspect received N50,000 for each victim she recruited and sent to Mauritania. Among those trafficked was her own 19-year-old daughter. She admitted to receiving over N500,000 from the Mauritania-based contact in total.

The second suspect admitted to working with the first suspect but claimed she had initially believed the young girls were being recruited as domestic workers. However, when she sent one victim for recruitment, the first suspect rejected the individual, leading her to suspect foul play.

Upon further questioning, the second suspect realized that the victims were being trafficked for sex work and decided to withdraw from the operation. She stated that the girl she had sent was turned away due to her age and body size, which further confirmed her suspicions.

Ayuba affirmed that investigations are ongoing and that the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the inquiry.