40-year-old woman arrested for human trafficking in Benin, another bags 5-yr-jail term

A 40-year-old human trafficker, Halimatu Omoruyi Osifo, has been arrested by operatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in Benin City, the Edo State Capital.

The suspect was said to have recruited two victims through one Maxwell who is currently at large, and sent them to her daughter, Blessing (Alias Stella) who is in Togo to engage them in exploitative prostitution.

The arrest came shortly after an Oyo State  High Court, presided over by Honourable Justice M.A. Adegbola  sentenced a 41-year-old woman, Victoria Oshi, to  five years imprisonment for procurement and s3xual exploitation of three victims of human trafficking.

Head, Press and Public Relations (NAPTIP), Mr Josiah Emerole, made the disclosure in a statement on Friday,  in Abuja.

He noted that luck ran out on Osifo, when the two girls who were forced into prostitution by Blessing from the first day of their arrival in Togo, escaped after working for few days.

It was alleged that all the proceeds of their prostitution were collected from them by Blessing.

Osifo, a native of Igbanke town resides at Ugboko Village in Orhiohwon Local Government of Edo State from where she was arrested.

The victims are currently at the NAPTIP shelter while the suspect is in the agency’s custody making useful statements.

Meanwhile, NAPTIP has secured the conviction of a 41-year-old woman, Victoria Oshi, to  five years imprisonment for the procurement and s3xual exploitation of three victims of human trafficking.

Emerole, in the statement said the operatives of the national agency had, in 2010, arrested Victoria Oshi alongside her accomplice, 75-year-old Peter Idowu.

They were arrested for the procurement and exploitation of two female teenagers and a 20-year- old lady in two brothels, 007 and Born Best Hotels located in Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

The victims were recruited from Enugu State with the promise of being employed as sales girls in Ogbomosho but were on arrival forced into prostitution.

“Victoria Oshi was later arraigned in court by NAPTIP on a 9 count charge while Mr. Peter Idowu,  owner of the 007 Hotel, faced a 1 count charge, all under the Trafficking in Persons  (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act of 2003 (as amended in 2005).

“Following a trial that lasted over six years, Honourable Justice M.A. Adegbola on Wednesday, sentenced Victoria Oshi to  five  years imprisonment. The sentence will run from the day of judgment. The judge however, discharged Mr. Peter Idowu due to his age.

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