Police Rescue 19 Trafficked Victims In Edo

The Edo State Command of the Nigeria Police has rescued 19 persons allegedly trafficked to Edo State from Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Cross Rivers.

Two sets of Twins, three and five months old toddlers are among the rescued,according to the police, who were were tipped by residents of the area who felt bothered by the sudden influx of children and women at a residential house in Evbuotubu quarters, Benin City, Edo State.

Police raided the house and found 19 persons, including grown up men, women and children.

The residents had suspected that the house was used for a baby factory, a common practice by child traffickers who lure stray pregnant women into giving up their babies soon after delivery, which are later sold in a black market.

But,police found out that the women were lured to Edo State and were being used for street begging.

“Their modus operandi was to report at the Kings square in Benin city daily with their months-old babies to solicit financial help.In most cases, they usually front the twin children to motivate kind-hearted Nigerians to give them money and other gift items,” the police said

The proceeds from the  begging business are then shared between the women and the trafficker.

One of the victims, Mary Etim, said: ” The woman told us that federal government is giving free money and jobs to nursing mothers in Benin and we followed her but on getting here, she started using us to beg for money”.

Edo state commissioner of Police, CP Philip Ogbadu, described the act as barbaric and vowed that the fleeing trafficker would be arrested.