…Over Côte d’Ivoire job scam

 

 

The Delta State Police Command has assured that a 26-year-old suspected human trafficker arrested for allegedly deceiving and trafficking a young Nigerian woman to Côte d’Ivoire under the guise of vocational training will be prosecuted immediately after the conclusion of ongoing investigations.

 

The Command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, gave the assurance while speaking with The Guardian on Monday, stressing that the police are treating the case with the seriousness it deserves and will ensure that justice is served.

 

Edafe explained that investigators are carrying out a thorough probe into the alleged trafficking network, noting that human trafficking cases require painstaking investigations to uncover all those involved and gather sufficient evidence for prosecution.

 

“We are doing a very serious investigation about the issue. This kind of case needs thorough investigation, and it is not a day job. As soon as the investigation is completed, the suspect will be charged to court. For now, the suspect remains in police custody,” he said.

 

According to him, the suspect, identified as Ese Betty Isiorho, was arrested following a petition alleging that she lured a 25-year-old woman to Côte d’Ivoire with the promise of enrolling her in a hairdressing apprenticeship.

 

Edafe, however, said investigations into the matter revealed that after arriving in the West African country, the victim was allegedly forced into prostitution.

 

According to him, operatives attached to the Effurun Area Command acted swiftly on the petition, leading to the arrest of the suspect, and during interrogation, Isiorho reportedly confessed to trafficking the rescued victim alongside another woman, also in her twenties, to Côte d’Ivoire.

 

Police said the suspect admitted that both women were allegedly handed over to a woman identified only as “Madam Purity,” who was said to have exploited them for prostitution.

 

He further disclosed that sustained investigative efforts, intelligence gathering and collaboration with relevant stakeholders resulted in the successful rescue of the 25-year-old victim, who has since returned safely to Nigeria.

 

The rescued woman has been reunited with her family and is currently receiving medical attention and necessary support following her ordeal.

 

He hinted that efforts are ongoing to rescue the second victim, who is believed to remain in Côte d’Ivoire, and to dismantle the wider trafficking network by apprehending other members of the syndicate.

 

The image maker revealed that the offer was allegedly a deceptive scheme used to traffic the victim outside Nigeria; even as the police subsequently rescued the 25-year-old woman, bringing an end to her ordeal.

 

He reiterated command’s commitment to combating human trafficking and other organised crimes, warning members of the public to be cautious of fraudulent overseas employment and vocational training offers that are often used as bait by traffickers.

 

Bright Edafe thus urged families and young Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad to verify recruitment claims through appropriate government agencies and report suspicious activities promptly, assuring that anyone found culpable in the ongoing investigation would face the full weight of the law.