Police apprehend couple over alleged human trafficking in Ogun

The Ogun State Police Command on Monday said it has apprehended a husband and a wife, Godday and Ebere Samuel, over alleged human trafficking at Atan in Ota area of the state.

The Spokesperson of the Police in the State, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who made the confirmation in a press statement in Ota, revealed that the husband and wife were apprehended on October 17 over suspected human trafficking.

The Spokesperson of the Police in the State also said that the suspects were apprehended after a report made at Atan Ota Divisional Police Headquarters by one Adeniji Okikiolu.

Okikiolu made a complaint that his 16-year-old daughter, Maria Adeniji, suddenly got missing on October 16.

He further claimed that while a search team was organized to search for her, someone informed him that the missing girl was sighted with the alleged trafficker the previous day.

“Upon the information, Ebere was invited to the station, but she vehemently denied ever seeing the missing girl on or before that day.

“Not satisfied with her plea of alibi, Ebere was subsequently detained at the station.

“But surprisingly, when her husband was contacted, the husband confessed to have taken the missing girl to somewhere in Lagos for onward transportation to Burkina Faso where she will be engaged as a maid to one of their associates.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the couple has been into the business of human trafficking for sometime now and that their accomplices are in Burkina Faso,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lanre Bankole, who’s the state Commissioner of Police, has directed the immediate movement of the suspects to the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Labour unit of the State Criminal Investigation Departments for intense investigation and necessary prosecution.