Posted by By NWAGBO NNENYELIKE, Ilorin on
A 14-year-old girl, Faith, victim of human trafficking, has narrated how her madam, Alice, who bought her for N30,000, used an empty bottle to deflower her in a hotel in Osun State.
A 14-year-old girl, Faith, victim of human trafficking, has narrated how her madam, Alice, who bought her for N30,000, used an empty bottle to deflower her in a hotel in Osun State.
The victim was allegedly kidnapped from Fugar, Edo State and sold to Alice.
The anti-human trafficking section of Kwara State Police Command, led by Oluwaseyi Segun, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), arrested Alice in Ile-Ife with other underaged girls she was said to have purchased at different prices. One of them, Elizabeth, is nursing a baby and suffers from elephantiasis.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Markus, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the police picked up Ufada in a hotel in the Unity Area of Ilorin at about 11 pm when they were on patrol. He said on interrogation, Faith provided the information that led to the arrest of Allice aka Ajara, a native of Kogi State.
"First of all, let me commend the Commissioner of Police, Bukar Maina for the tremendous support he has given to this unit in the command. That has helped them to execute their duties effectively. The men were on patrol when they got information about the little girl. That she was in a hotel in the Unity area of Ilorin metropolis. They went there and picked her around 11 pm. As she was interrogated, she told the story of how she got to Ilorin from Ile-Ife and what she had gone through. The following morning, the anti-traffic unit stormed the hotel she named in Ile-Ife and Alice, who allegedly kept her there, was arrested. There were other teenage girls seen in the hotel who are in her possession. They were all brought to Ilorin.''
The police spokesman said the young girls who were forced into prostitution by Alice, are Ene (14), from Idoma, Benue State, Alice (16), also from Idoma, Regina and Elizabeth, 20. He disclosed that from investigations, the police have discovered that some men who sold them to Ajara kidnapped them after they were hypnotized. He gave assurance that further investigation was on to track down the kidnappers.
Narrating her ordeal in the hands of Alice, Faith explained to Daily Sun how she escaped from the hotel.
"I have been with her for one and half years. Men are brought to have sex with me.
When I came I had not known anything about a man. They used a bottle to deflower me. Alice used to flog me with a big stick. She bought an exercise book where I recorded all the money I made on a daily basis. If she travelled, she would tell somebody to monitor the money I realized for that period. Then, she would always tell me to swear that I would never hide any money or tell police what I do.
"At a point, I was tired of that kind of life, but there was no way to go. Opportunity came for me one day. Alice travelled. I ran away looking for where to go. I could not go home. So, I came to Ilorin. The police saw me. I am in SS2. It was from my town, Fugar, they took me. I never knew where I was until I saw myself in that hotel in Ile-Ife.''
Ene, who hails from Igalaland, Kogi State, said her parents are farmers and that she is the last child in a family of five. She said it was her sister who took her from the village to Ile-Ife.
"My parents know I am in Ile-Ife, but they do not know what I do,'' she said.
Another victim, Alice, a hairdresser, said it was when she finished learning how to make hair but could not afford the money to buy the equipment to take off that she started prostitution under tutelage of the woman. "She collected all the money I made. She fed me. I made between N1000 and N2000 daily.
The suspect admitted paying N30,000 to a woman who brought Faith to her.
She said Faith had been with her for only five months, not two and half years. She also said that the trio of Alice, Ene and Regina were brought to her by their sisters and she gave them N30,000, N110,000 and N80, 000 respectively.
Said the woman: "Ene was brought to me by her sister, who collected N60,000. Later, she came back and said she needed another N50, 000 for the funeral ceremony of their relation and that Ene would work for the whole money she collected from me.
When the sister of Alice brought her, I paid her N20,000. She later came back and told me that she needed N10,000. I gave it to her with foodstuff. Regina was also brought by her sister, who took N30,000 from me. Later, she came back and said she needed N50,000 to treat Regina for a sickness she was suffering from. I gave the money to her. She took Regina away and treated her. When Regina came back, I made sure she worked for the money I brought for her treatment.
"As for Faith, the woman that brought her collected N30, 000 from me before she gave her to me. She has been with me for five months. One day, she got missing. I reported at the police station in Ile-Ife. I was still in the process of looking for her when policemen came to pick and brought me to Ilorin.
"In the case of Elizabeth, her sister also brought her to me, but she has problem on the leg. She also has a baby.'' Alice insisted that the girls were not kidnapped, adding that she rented the apartment she is using and pays N3, 000 for each room, which amounts to N28, 000 annually.
Daily Sun learnt that the police are making efforts to arrest the men who kidnapped and sold the girls to Alice. The police have already got useful information about the men who are at large, but the police spokesman remained silent on the information relating to the whereabouts of the men.
"I can only tell you that investigation is in progress,'' the PPRO said.