3 jailed 2 years for trafficking in students

Three human traffickers, Ngozi Owoh 22, Ahmed Babatayo Femi 33 and Odigie Iyobosa 29 have been sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Benin High Court for trafficking two female Senior Secondary Students in Benin.

Justice Alero EdodoEruaga however gave them fine option of N150,000 on each count charge after they pleaded guilty to the charges.

A statement from the Head of Public Enlightenment Unit, Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NATIP), Nduka Nwanenne, said the convicts were charged with procuring under-aged girls for prostitution, organising foreign travels which promote prostitution and conspiracy to facilitate foreign travel.

NATIP prosecutor, Emodogo Rosemary told the Court that the convicts recruited the two students aged16 and 18 and promised them better life abroad.

He added, “The convicts were alleged to have before embarking on the journey taken the victims to a shrine where oath of secrecy was administer on them.”

He said they were intercepted at Seme boarder en route Cote-de Ivoire by the Nigeria Immigration Service who arrested one of them, rescued the victims and handed them over to NAPTIP for prosecution.

Reacting to the development, the Benin Zonal commander, Mr. Odita Ifechukwude Ebenezer, said there would be no hiding place for traffickers in the state.