The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) rescued eight underage girls on Wednesday for allegedly contravening article 17 of the Agency Law.

It was reported that the rescue was carried out by the agency’s Zonal Command, which comprises the states of Edo and Delta.

The rescue of the underage girls followed a raid on two brothels in the Aduwawa hub by state investigators, in association with men from the Department of State Service (DSS) Edo Command.

Ms. Chidiebere Oruruo-Ifudu, Zonal Commander in charge of the zone, addressing reporters after the exercise, said that the agency received a tip from an informant last week about the use of girls as prostitutes in a brothel.

“So, at dawn today, NAPTIP in the company of the DSS, we raided the brothel.

“We raided not just one brothel, but two, and were able to rescue these young women who have been forced into prostitution,” he said.

He said investigations had been launched and they would be charged in court in due course, adding that 32 people, of whom 25 were women and five men, including hotel managers and security men, were arrested during the raid.

“However, we do not have business with others who are over the age of 18. We are interested in those under the age of 18, because at the moment section 17 of the Trafficking in Persons Prohibition Enforcement Act 2015 has been contravened. And that is what we are using to charge them in front of. the courts,” Oruruo-Ifudu said.

The area commander, while advising the youth to try to acquire skills in addition to education, revealed that six of the rescued victims had already shown interest in participating in the agency’s skills acquisition training.

He explained that by the end of the training after six months, they would be empowered.

Oruruo-Ifudu also advised parents to always take care of their children, while reiterating the area’s commitment to continue working together with NAPTIP Director General Dr. Fatima Waziri-Hazi on the agency’s agenda.

(NAN)

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