The Anambra police command has rescued women it said were lured to a hotel in Awka from different states of Nigeria by some people whose mission was to turn them into sex toys. According to the spokesman of the command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspects were arrested on a tipoff in a hotel in Awka, capital of Anambra State, Nigeria.
His statement reads:
Following the information received from Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare yesterday 18/6/2023 by 6:00 pm, Police Operatives stormed a hotel in Awka and rescued 9 girls within the age bracket of 15-23years, used for sex slaves and arrested the proprietor of the hotel.
Meanwhile, further interrogations/confessions of the rescued girls, reveal that the respective persons that brought them to the brothel lured/entice them on the assurances of giving them jobs to alleviate poverty/needs of their parents and dependents. They further confessed to being taken from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States. Also, the Police Command is in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare to make sure the girls are taken care of and safely returned to their parents/guardians.
The Command has condemned the act and frowned at such persons who take advantage of vulnerable individuals to make money and describe such places as a den where criminals take refuge. We urge the good people of Anambra to continue to provide the police with information about such places as the joint operations to weed such harbour has commenced. You are encouraged to call the Command Control Room number *07039194332* or PRO on *08039334002*. Be assured that all information passed through these channels shall be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
The case has since been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department Awka SCID, for comprehensive investigation and shall be charged to court afterward.
*DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, PRO Anambra State Police Command*
19th June 2023.
