NAPTIP parades 4 suspects over rape, human trafficking

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has paraded four suspects allegedly involved in cases bordering on trafficking in persons, buying of human beings, rape and violence against persons.

The Director General, NAPTIP, Dame Julie OkahDonli, represented by the Director, Investigation and Monitoring, Josiah Emerole at the briefing, said one of the cases presented involved a 43-year-old woman who lived in Sweden, Stephany Isaksson Bassey, who was alleged to have bought a two-month old baby boy.

Another suspect, Ifeoma Obinwa, 37, was alleged to have on September 12 inflicted grievous body injuries on her 14-year-old house help.

“The victim, who has lived with the suspect since 2015, was not enrolled into school and is always being physically and emotionally abused. She is always being beaten by the suspect with sticks, wire and sharp objects and such treatment has left wounds and scars all over her body including her head.

“The last incident that led to the suspect’s arrest happened on September 12, 2018 when the suspect who accused the victim of beating her child allegedly placed a knife on fire until it became very hot and then placed it on the victim’s thigh and buttocks, thereby leaving her with grievous body injuries.

“The victim was also left untreated until operatives of the Agency rescued her,” Emerole said

Obinwa said she beat the victim because each time she returned from work, she always met her five-year-old daughter with different injuries on her body inflicted on her by the victim.

Also, a 37-year-old man, Francis Yusuf, was alleged to have raped his wife’s cousin who lived with them in their Jikwoyi residence on September 13.

“He subsequently locked the girl inside the house and left with the keys of the house. The victim who claimed to have been a virgin until that incident had to escape from the house through the window. The wife was away when the incident occurred,” Emerole said.

He added that one Sandra Obiosio, 29, an indigene of Rivers State who resided at Jabi Area of Abuja, was also arrested for conspiring with her husband to procure a 12-year-old girl from Nasarawa State in 2017 as house help and allegedly subjected the girl to all manner of abuse and ill treatment.

The DG said all the cases are contrary to various sections of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 (TIPPEA) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 (VAPPA), adding that “As soon as investigations are over on these cases, the suspects would be charged to court.”