3 Female Child Traffickers, Naira Counterfeiter Arrested in Delta

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba

Three women have been nabbed by the police in Delta State for their reported involvement in human trafficking, including an alleged attempt to trade off a 13-year old girl from Ebonyi State for teenage prostitution in a community in Delta State.

The Delta State Police Command spokesman, Bright Edafe, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) said,  “The Command received a complaint via petition to the Area Commander Asaba, written on behalf of a victim of child trafficking victim (name withheld) aged 13 years, a native of Izza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, who was to be taken to Onicha-Ugbo (Aniocha LGA, Delta) for prostitution.”

A combined team of policemen and vigilance members carried out an intelligence-led operation that led to the arrest of three female suspects identified as Ado-Obi Oguguo, aged 38 years; Chidima Osita (36 years); and 30-year old Nkirnka Ikechukwu, he disclosed.

All three suspects hail from Omerigboma Village Oko, Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State, the state police spokesman said.

According to the police, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were into prostitution” and had, on June 22 this year, allegedly arranged for 16-year old Chidinma, (surname unknown) to be taken to Mali for prostitution”, he further said while assuring that further investigation into the case was on course especially with a view to arresting other members of the human trafficking syndicate.

DSP Edafe also said 45-year old Michael Ozor from Abakiliki in Ebonyi State was arrested during a routine stop-and-search operation by Eagle-Net Special Squad, last Tuesday afternoon, on the Asaba-Onitsha Niger Bridge.

The suspect was almost lynched by a mob, who reportedly attacked the man at Oko New International Market at Asaba end of the bridge, was rescued by the police.

“The team rushed to the scene and rescued the suspect, named Michael Ozor of Abakiliki in Ebonyi State. 

“The suspect was alleged to have made a POS transaction with fake Naira notes with intent to defraud the PoS operator. The suspect was subsequently arrested and fake Naira notes to the tune of eighty thousand naira was recovered from him,” the police said.