On Monday, June 19, nine girls were involved in sex work rescued by men of the Anambra state police command in a brothel in Awka, Anambra State.
The victims, within the age of 15 -23 years were rescued during a raid of the facility following a tip-off.
A statement from the spokesperson of the state police command revealed that the ladies were lured from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States on the assurances of being offered jobs to assist their parents and dependents financially.
Confirming the incident, a Police spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the Proprietor of the brothel has been arrested. He said the case has been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department Awka for investigation.
The statement read, “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 harbor 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.”
