The Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the police, have rescued 12 girls following a raid on some brothels in Awka, the state capital.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, who made this known on Tuesday, disclosed that the girls, some as young as 15 years, were rescued from the brothels on Sunday, June 18.
Obinabo warned brothel operators in the state to stop using underage girls to run their businesses or face prosecution,
The commissioner said: “Anambra government is committed to putting an end to all forms of child kidnap, trafficking, and sexual slavery in the state.
“We got a tip-off and during the raid, we discovered that three out of the 12 girls are underage girls who were trafficked into Anambra from other states.
“We are warning brothel operators in Anambra. They should desist from using underage girls in running their businesses or face the full wrath of the law.
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“The owner of the brothel has been arrested and the case will not be treated with levity as it has been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for investigation.”
Obinabo added that the girls had been taken to the hospital for medical examination and treatment, saying their families had been contacted.
Narrating her ordeal, a 15-year-old rescued girl, told newsmen that she was taken from her home in Ebonyi State by two ladies.
She said the ladies tricked her to believe that she would be employed as a sales girl in Anambra State.
She said she was shocked that she was taken to Awka to engage in prostitution.
The girl said: “The ladies who brought us to the brothel in Awka seized our phones and other belongings before handing us over to another woman.
“The woman is our madam and she told us that she would not release us unless we pay her N150,000 each or serve her for a period of one year.
“We were mandated to bring between N10,000 and N15,000 every night and N40,000 every Sunday. The men who sleep with us usually pay N1,000 per session.
“We started having issues with our madam because we could not pay the stated sums.”
The girl said she and other captives used a whistle-blower’s phone to get across to their families, adding that the whistleblower in turn notified the ministry and the police, leading to the raid.
The mother of the 15-year-old said she already lodged a complaint at a police station in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, when her daughter did not return home.
She, therefore, thanked the commissioner and the police for their prompt response and efforts.
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