Amotekun rescues 14-year-old survivor, others in Ogun raid

Men of the Ogun State Amotekun Corps have rescued a 14-year-old survivor of human trafficking alongside others during a raid in Ifo Local Council, Ogun State.
The survivor, who hails from Akwa Ibom State, disclosed that she was forced to sleep with 10 to 12 men daily while in captivity.

She was trafficked into the state on January 29, 2024, and was among those found during a raid conducted by the Amotekun Corps at a sex trafficking camp on Wednesday, February 12.

The Guardian learnt that 15 suspected sex workers and their alleged ringleader, identified as Idem Joy, were arrested during the operation. The victims, aged between 12 and 39, were reportedly engaged in prostitution at the Railway Line Hotel, situated along the old bank road in Ifo.

Items recovered during the raid included N819,600 in cash, various types of drugs, cartons of condoms, energy enhancers, lubricants, and packs of tissue papers, among others.

Speaking while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Abeokuta, the Corps Commandant, Brigadier General Alade Adedigba (retd.), revealed that 14 of the rescued girls were trafficked from Akwa Ibom State, while others came from Cross River and Delta states.

According to Adedigba, the victims recounted being coerced into taking an oath under traumatic conditions.

The process reportedly involved stripping them naked and cutting parts of their hair, allegedly for ritual purposes, to instill fear and prevent them from escaping or revealing the operation.

The 14-year-old survivor, a JSS3 school dropout, said she was deceived into coming to Ogun State with promises of a job as a salesgirl. Upon arrival, however, she was forced into prostitution.

“They did not tell me that this is what I will be doing; they only told me that I would be a sales girl when I arrive. So I came with my friend, Glory, but she works at another hotel,” she said.

The teenager recounted being drugged and coerced into the trade. She added, “She (Idem Joy) cut some hair from my head, saying whenever I run, she would use my hair to kill me. For some, she took their pictures and others their blood.”

When asked about her earnings, she said, “Sometimes I make N20,000 per day depending on the turnout. I sleep with 10 to 12 men a day. They pay N1,000 or N2,000, it depends.”