NAPTIP Prosecutes Four Human Traffickers In Edo, Delta

Officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, in Edo State, have arrested, convicted and sent four suspected human traffickers to jail in the past one week.

The convicted persons, two males and two females, were found guilty of various offences and were sentenced accordingly, with jail terms ranging from two to five years.

In the first conviction, the Presiding Judge of the Federal High Court 2, Benin City, Justice Ajokwu in the suit number F.H.C./B/17C/2013, found one Mrs. Nasser Juliet guilty of the offence of procurement for prostitution, deceitful inducement to travel to a foreign country and equally organising foreign travel which promotes prostitution.

The accused who hails from Esan North Local Government Area of Edo State was accordingly sentenced to two years jail term with no option of fine.

A Federal High Court in Warri, Delta State, also presided over by Justice Mohammed Shitu Abubakar, convicted another three traffickers for their roles in trafficking activities to five years imprisonment each.

In her reaction, the Benin Zonal Commander of the Agency, Mrs. Ebiringa Cordellia Oluchi, expressed satisfaction with the judgment, saying the zone was working in line with the vision of the agency with a view to eradicating human trafficking in the zone.

She urged the people of Edo and Delta States to join hands with the agency through useful information that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of human traffickers in the zone, saying NAPTIP is ever ready to protect Nigerians.