Human Trafficking: 7 arrested after Togolese man sold 15 years old sister for N52,000

Seven arrested after Togolese man sold 15 years old sister for N52,000The victim was smuggled into Nigeria from Togo without any travelling documents and was made to work for different trafficking agent after her brother sold her for N52,000 with the permission of her mother

Assana in the middle and her brother second left standing with other suspects

 (Punch)

A Togolese and seven other human traffickers have been nabbed by the police from Zone F Headquarters of the Nigeria Immigrations Services in Ibadan. 

According to report by Punch the Deputy Comptroller in charge of anti-human trafficking unit of the headquarters, Kola Sofuwa, who spoke on behalf of the Assistant Comptroller-General and Zonal Coordinator of the Zone F Headquarters, Mike Longe the arrest of the suspect was a long chain of people who had in one way or the other been linked to a two years search of a missing 15-year-old Togolese girl, called Assana.

In 2013 the brother (Cossy) of the victim (Assana) allegedly sold his sister to several end users for domestic work, without a dime getting to the victim.

Assana was smuggled into Nigeria from Togo without any travelling documents and was made to work for different trafficking agent after her brother sold her for N52,000 with the permission of their mother.

“We got the letter in form of a petition and set out looking for Assana. We were able to apprehend the brother who brought her to Nigeria and involved her in a long chain of human trafficking ring. He first handed her over to a Togolese trafficking agent called Aishat in Eruwa who also contracted her out to one Alfa Sabe, 55, with an agreement of N60,000 annual wage that never got to the victim.

“One woman simply known as Iya Onigele also paid N72,000 for her services to a Nigerian agent, Iya Nofisat. When she could not endure the hardship, Assana ran away and unfortunately ended up in the hands of another agent, Titi, who is now at large.

Her final destination was the home of a pastor, Mrs Dorcas Afelumo, who also paid N72,000 for her in exchange for domestic services. Even the brother, Cossy, lost track of her before she was rescued at the clergy woman’s house,” says Mike Longe

Although the victims brother was the one who reported to the police about the disappearance of his little sister, he also confessed to:

“I brought her here when my wife left me so that she could cook for me. When my wife returned, I gave her out to people who could use her for work. I had to collect money from them after some negotiation.

“I told our mother and I got N52,000 from the deal. I bought things for our mother each time I went home from the money. Then Assana got missing and I have since been looking for her.”

Assana has since been reunited with her family in Togo while the arrested human traffickers would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.