Posted by By Petrus Obi, Abakalikialiki on
The police in Abakaliki Thursday paraded a total of 121 human trafficking suspects, among them 12 women arrested on their way from Lagos to Cameroon.
The new Ebonyi state Commissioner of Police Julie Iroha told newsmen in Abakaliki that the suspects were traveling in two luxurious buses belonging to Ifesinachi Transport Company when they were intercepted following a tip-off.
She disclosed that when the suspects were interrogated it was discovered that one Esther Eze who hails from Uburu in Ohaozara local government of the state was in-charge of the one hundred and twenty-one persons from various African countries, 'suspected to be trafficked persons."
The Ebonyi Commissioner of police revealed that out of the number, 92 persons are from Mali, 14 from Senegal , one from Sierra-Leone, one from Guinea Bissau, two from Mauritania seven from Guinea, three from Niger Republic and one from Cameroon.
Answering questions from newsmen the prime suspect, Esther Eze claimed that she works with a transport company in Cotonou and her duty was to assist the travelers to their various destinations.
She insisted she was not involved in any sort of trafficking, pointing out that she only assisted those on transit to get to their destinations.
Few of the victims who managed to mutter some English words disclosed that they paid for the movement to Cameroon where they hoped to get involved in some menial jobs to keep body and soul together.
The commissioner of police said the matter was still under investigation and that she would contact the Force Headquarters Abuja, after statements were gotten from the suspects, for further directives on the matter.