Italy-based Nigerian arrested for human trafficking

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Tuesday said it has arrested an Italy-based Nigerian for human trafficking.

The suspect, identified as Mrs Lasiru Rossato Dolly, aged 47 and mother of one, was arrested by personnel of NAPTIP with the support of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

A statement by the Commander, Benin Zonal Office of NAPTIP Nduka Nwanwenne said the suspect operates a purported company called African Choice and Import Market through which her victims are recruited to Italy.

He said in August 2014, the suspect recruited a 25-year-old victim through one Egberemwen Enobakhare and made the parents of the victim depose to an affidavit of parental consent which changed the name of the victim to another name given to her by the suspect.

The parents were said to have equally signed some agreements with the suspect’s lawyer in Benin City. They allegedly agreed on the ground that the victim was only going to work in the suspect’s shop in Italy, not for prostitution.

“As part of the agreement, the victim was going to pay the sum of 62,000 euros to Mrs. Dolly Rossato in two and a half years before regaining freedom. By August, this year, the victim would have spent three (3) years with the suspect as a sex slave.

“Before taking the victim to Italy, she was first taken to a shrine in Oluku, in the outskirt of Benin-City, where she was given a black soap to bath with. She was also asked to deposit her finger nails, pubic hair and hair.

“Again, the victim was taken to another shrine in Ogun state, where an oath was administered to her.”

The statement said the suspect earlier engaged Enobakhare, to be employed in her purported company and allegedly collected the sum of N 800,000 from him for the purpose of facilitating the move to Italy and getting a job for him through the purported company but that it was later discovered that the suspect was only interested in female victims she uses as sex slaves.

The suspect is said to own properties in Italy and Nigeria.

The statement quoted NAPTIP Director General, Julie Okah-Donli, as saying that the Agency has zero tolerance for human trafficking adding that the era of human trafficking as a business was over.