One Chioma Edafe, who is a suspected member of a human trafficking syndicate, using teenagers for commercial s*x in Ughelli, Delta State, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force, Delta Police command has reportedly arrested.
It was learnt that 35 others among which 23 are all teenagers were also rescued during the raid at ‘Big Dafe Hotel’ by Ughelli/Patani Road, on Monday.
The spokesman of the command, SP Bright Edafe, in statement on Thursday said information was received by the command on the activities of one Chinyere who specialises in trafficking women from the East and taking them to Ughelli Delta State for prostitution.
He explained that the intelligence further revealed that she lured them by telling them that they were coming to Delta State to work as a sales girl in a restaurant.
Edafe stressed that serious manhunt for the main suspect Chinyere was ongoing.
He said; “On 15/7/2024, acting on credible information received by the Command on the activities of one Chinyere (surname unknown) who specialises in trafficking women from the East and brings them to Ughelli Delta State for prostitution. Intelligence further revealed that she lures them by telling them that they are coming to Delta State to work as a sales girl in a restaurant.
“The Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Abaniwonda Olufemi who has zero tolerance for human/child trafficking detailed the DPO Ekpan CSP Aliyu Shaba to immediately work on the gathered intelligence and ensure that the hotel is located and the suspect arrested.
“Consequently, on 15/07/2024 at about 1900hrs, one of the victims (name withheld) was located and she revealed the illegal activities of the said suspect Chinyere ‘f’ surname unknown currently at large.
“She further stated that the suspect deceived her parents to follow her down to Delta State from Abia State to be a sales girl in a bar with a salary of N30,000 monthly.
“However on 12/07/2024, she and two other young girls followed the suspect down to a town she later understood to be Ughelli but on getting to their final destination, they saw other teenagers. They were naked and were informed that it was prostitution they were brought for which they declined and as a result, they were immediately thrown out of the hotel.
“Based on the information, a combined team of Surveillance stormed the hotel ‘Big Dafe Hotel’ by Ughelli/Patani Road, and arrested one Chioma Edafe ‘f’ 36yrs of Umuogbezea Community in Imo State who runs the hotel and Thirty-Five others among which Twenty-Three are all teenagers. Serious manhunt for the main suspect Chinyere is ongoing.
“In cases of distress, members of the public can reach the command either by reporting to the DPO in their area.”
