Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo has successfully carried out a rescue mission in a brothel in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the State.
About twenty girls between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five were rescued in the mission.
The raid was done in alliance with the police following a tip-off from a commendable whistleblower.
Two among the rescued girls are teenagers and the Commissioner has already taken them to hospital for medical examination and possible treatment, EKWE ANAEDO learnt.
According to the ministry, it was discovered that the management of the hotel trafficked girls from all parts of the country for prostitution purposes.
Speaking immediately after the raid, Hon Obinabo highly commended the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command in helping to rescue the girls and lamented that despite the state government’s efforts, some people were still rebelling against the law.
Obinabo assured the people of the state government’s ardent commitment towards abruptly putting a stop to all forms of trafficking and sex slavery in the state as she went further to reiterate that any person caught in such act will be made to face the law fully.
Some of the rescued girls who were between the ages of 16 years to 24 years all said that they were either taken to the hotel by a friend or a relation on the basis of securing a hotel job for them while on the contrary they were trafficked.
They revealed that the person who brought them to the brothel usually seize their phones and other belongings before handing them over to another woman who notified them that they will only be released if they bring a certain amount of money to her or serve her for a period of one year.
They said that they make from 4,000 thousand naira to 10,000 thousand naira on weekdays and 15,000 thousand naira to 30,000 thousand naira on weekends which is taken away by their different direct bosses.
They also revealed that it is from the money they make that they pay their rent to the owner every day, noting that they pay the sum of three thousand, five hundred naira (N3,500) as rent daily from the proceeds of the prostitution business.
The girls also revealed that they sleep with about 10 men a day to meet up with the target given to them or risk being beaten mercilessly by their madam.
The ministry said the suspects, who were also arrested, would be arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka.
