A 23-year-old man, Isaac Okon, has been arrested by Amotekun operatives in Osun State for alleged human trafficking.
According to information made available by the Corps Commander, Brigadier General Bashir Adewinmbi on Saturday, the suspect was arrested on Thursday, February 29, 2024, around 6:45pm with five young boys along Ajebandele, Osun State.
General Adewinmbi revealed that the suspect was allegedly transporting his kidnapped victims without the knowledge of their parents or relatives.
The Osun Amotekun boss disclosed that the boys were taken out of Akwa Ibom State under the pretence of working in Lagos but unknowingly to them, they were being transported to Osun State to work on the farm.
He said, “The suspect was arrested by the men of Amotekun in Ifetedo after the driver of the vehicle that transported them from Akwa Ibom to Osun State noticed strange things in the vehicle. The driver immediately complained to Amotekun Ifetedo Command in Ife South local government and Amotekun Ife Area Commander was informed about the incident.
“The operatives swung into action immediately and arrested the culprit on the spot. The suspect confessed to trafficking the young boys without the consent of their parents or relatives.
“Isaac said he met the young boys in the motor park in Akwa Ibom State begging for money and told them if they could follow him to Lagos State he could provide a job for them.
“He took them away without the consent of their parents or relatives and moved them down to Osun State. He was heading to Ajebandele before luck ran against him in Ifetedo in the Ife South local government area of Osun State.
“The trafficked victims are David Dominic Udoh, 23 years old, from Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom, Moses Ibom Sunday, 10 years old, from Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, David Sunday Okafor, 11 years old, from Arujukwu Village in Akwa Ibom State, Wisdom Ukpong Bassey, 15 years from Akwa Ibom State, and Hope Nwem Eto, 14 yrs old from Akwa Ibom State.
“Upon interrogation, he confessed to transporting the young boys to Osun State without the consent of their parents or relatives and that he lied to the young boys that he was taking them to Lagos State but he planned to take them to Ajebandele in Osun State to work in a farm.”
Adewinmbi revealed that both the suspect and the victims have been transferred to the National Agency For Prohibition On Trafficking In Person, NAPTIP for investigation and prosecution.
