A sex trafficking syndicate operating in Ogun State has been dismantled by the Amotekun corps, following an anonymous tip on February 8.
The syndicate, led by Mrs. Edem Joy and her alleged boss, Mrs. Okutoro Yemisi, 60, lured young girls from Akwa Ibom, Calabar, and Delta State with promises of employment as sales girls.
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Upon arrival, the victims were forced into prostitution, with the syndicate charging clients between ₦1,000 and ₦5,000 per session.
The girls were allegedly tied down with drugs and charms, and their hair was cut as a form of ritualistic control.
A 14-year-old victim, who was rescued, revealed that she was forced to sleep with 12 to 20 men daily and was given drugs to ensure compliance. The youngest victim rescued was just 12 years old.
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The Amotekun corps arrested the suspects at the Railway Line Hotel, Old Bank Bus Stop, in Ifo town, and recovered lubricants, drugs, cash, and charms.
The victims were allegedly made to swear with their blood, hair, or the Bible, and were threatened with harm if they attempted to escape or confess.
The syndicate’s leaders reportedly used tissues from the victims’ clients for ritual purposes.
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The rescue operation and arrest of the suspects mark a significant breakthrough in the fight against human trafficking and sex exploitation in Nigeria.