BY SUNNY A. DAVID
Four teenage girls have been rescued by the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Hon. Ify Obinabo two days to Christmas.
The girls who are 15, 14, 15 and 13 years old respectively all hail from Akwa Ibom State.
The operation was carried out on Thursday night in conjunction with the Anambra State Police Command after the Women and Social Welfare Boss was hinted of the crime.
Without hesitation, she swamped into action with her team and security operatives and made sure the suspect was arraigned in court the following day.
Reacting to the news, Obinabo reiterated the State government’s resolve in ensuring that human traffickers are not pampered in the State.
The women and Social Welfare Boss warned that the Prof. Chukwuma Soludo led administration will not leave any stone unturned in making sure that traffickers are dealt with according to the stipulations of the law urging members of the State to always report any suspicious activity within their area.
Narrating their experiences, the girls noted that they were taken by one auntie who told them that she had a job opportunity for them in Agbor, Delta State where they will be selling drinks in a beer parlor but on getting there, they discovered that it was prostitution work they were brought to do.
They revealed that about five different men did have carnal knowledge of them every night.
On what they do with their pay, they hinted that the men pay the sum of 2000 or 1000 naira directly to their madam who only gives them 400 naira everyday for feeding. They explained that with the direct payment to Madam Success they were not able to have any cash at hand.
They stated also that their skimpy clothes were bought from the proceeds too according to what they were told.
Inquiring further on why they stayed, the girls pointed out that they had made several attempts to escape but was punished severely when one of the other girls reported their plans to Madam Success.
They noted that after the punishment ,they were taken to a herbalist who forced them to take an oath that they will never run away or die.
They lamented that it was in their quest to secure their school fees that they got lured into the act but appreciated the effort of the State Commissioner for Women and Social for coming to their rescue and giving them shelter.
The suspect known as Success has been arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate court in Awka where she was denied bail and committed to prison custody.
