Officers of Ogun state police Command have rescued 22 teenage girls allegedly lured from villages in Akwa Ibom state to the state for prostitution.
Spokesperson of the Command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi in a press release made available to newsmen in Abeokuta said the girls were rescued on Friday during an operation coordinated by the Area commander Ota, ACP Muhideen Obe.
He explained that the operation was carried out after receipt of credible intelligence that minors were being recruited from other states and used as commercial sex workers at KOLAB hotel in Itele ota community of the State.
DSP Oyeyemi noted the officers stormed the said hotel at about 8 pm, where the 22 teenagers whose ages are between 10 and 14yrs were rescued.
He stated;
Upon interrogation, the girls narrated how they were lured from their respective villages in Akwa Ibom state to come to Ogun state, with the promise to employ them as sales girls in restaurants and supermarkets, only for them to get to Lagos and transferred to a brothel in Ogun state as commercial sex workers.
According to the command spokesman, the girls were deprived of using phones or any communication devices, therefore, making it impossible for them to reach out to their parents or relations.
He added;
A 33 year old and manager of the hotel Isaac Ogbaji and ten other male suspects were also said to have been arrested during the operation.
On interrogation, the girls narrated how they were lured from their respective villages in Akwa Ibom state to come to Ogun state, with the promise that they will be employed as sales girls in restaurants and supermarkets.
However, the girl said they were transferred to a brothel in Ogun state where they were working as commercial sex workers before they were rescued by the police.
They added that they were deprived of using phone or any communication devices, therefore, making it impossible for them to reach out to their parents or relations.
The manager of the hotel one Isaac Ogbaji, 33, and 10 other male suspects were also arrested during the operation.
Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered that the family support unit of the Area command Ota to take over the investigation of the case, identify the recruiting cartel and bring them to justice as soon as possible.
