NAPTIP parades Lebanese over trafficking of Nigerian women
Operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) yesterday paraded a Lebanese who allegedly specialised in trafficking Nigerian women to Lebanon.
The agency paraded the suspect for allegedly trafficking a woman identified as Olayide Biliki Kikelomo from Nigeria on the pretence of employing her as caregiver to his aged mother in Lebanon.
He was paraded at the headquarters of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) office in Lagos.
The Lagos State Commander of NAPTIP, Daniel Atokolo, said the victim was trafficked by the 54-year old Lebanese in October 2019.
The victim, a mother of two, returned to Nigeria on February 2, and is presently in the agency’s care, he said.
The commander said following the complaint by the husband of the victim, NAPTIP swung into action and eventually arrested the Lebanese who is residing in Lagos on January 30.
He disclosed that when approached by the victim’s husband to rescue his wife, the suspect reportedly demanded that the victim would only be returned if the family provides another person to replace her.
He said he was later mandated to ensure the return of the victim.
Atokolo said: “Fact of the case revealed that the suspect had trafficked the victim on the pretence of employing her as a care giver to his aged mother in Lebanese.
“On arrival, the victim was reported to have been received by an agent who handed her over to a family where she was exploited as a domestic servant.
“The victim also reported that she was sexually harassed while working for the said family.”
“The agency is currently investigating the suspect’s activities to ascertain his possible involvement in trafficking Nigerians to his home country for exploitation.
“The recently celebrated return of Omolola Ajayi is also not far from our thoughts, therefore, the agency would like to use this opportunity to reiterate its warning against the recent flux especially by Nigerian females to country like Lebanon, United Arab Emirate in search of the proverbial golden goose because the stories almost always end in exploitation especially labour and sexual exploitation.’’
He also revealed that the command apprehended two women, Juliet and Chioma on January 30 for their involvement in the purchase and sale of a-month-old baby belonging to a mentally challenged woman.
Atokolo said investigation revealed that this was the fifth time the helpless mother was losing her child “to the greed of the people and sad situation around her.”