A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, on Thursday, remanded a 55-year-old woman, Angela Nwobi, and her 25-year-old daughter, Olubube, for allegedly using two underage girls as domestic servants.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro made the remand order after the duo pleaded not guilty to the four counts of harbouring and using two underage girls (names withheld) for domestic work made against them by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
The mother and daughter, who reside at B 41, Abijoh GRA, Chois Garden Estate Lekki, Lagos State, were alleged to have committed the offences between May and November 2023.
NAPTIP prosecution counsel, Uzunwa Egonu, during the arraignment of the defendants, told the court that the duo’s unlawful and exploitative actions have exposed the two teenagers to physical, social, and psychological harm.
Egonu also informed the court that the defendants assaulted two officials of the agency.
The prosecutor stated that the NAPTIP officials allegedly assaulted by the two defendants were Ederibhalo Elvis and Trust Adekoye, while performing their official duties.
She said that the defendants allegedly assaulted the two officials on March 12, 2024, at the agency’s office situated at No. 165b, Oba Ladejobi Street, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the prosecutor, the offences committed contravened Sections 23(1)B, 23 (2)B, and 32(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
However, the mother and daughter pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Following their plea, the prosecutor asked the court for a trial date and also urged the court to remand them until the determination of the charge.
Their lawyer, however, pleaded with the court for a short date to file their bail applications.
Consequently, Justice Awogboro ordered that the mother and daughter should be remanded at the female section of the Nigerian Correctional Services, Kirikiri, pending when their bail applications shall be heard and determined.
The judge then adjourned the matter to May 7, 2024, for trial.
