Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo has rescued about twenty girls between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five at a brothel in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the State.
The raid was done in collaboration with the police following a tip-off from a whistleblower.
Two among the rescued girls are teenagers and the Commissioner has already taken them to hospital for medical examination and possible treatment, NIGER DELTA NEWS learnt.
According to the ministry, it was discovered that the management of the hotel trafficked girls from all parts of the country for prostitution purposes.
Speaking immediately after the raid, Hon Obinabo appreciated the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force, Anambra State Command in helping to rescue the girls and lamented that despite the state government’s efforts, some people were still flouting the law.
Obinabo restated the State government’s commitment to ending all forms of child kidnapping, trafficking and sex slavery in the State and went further to urge Anambra people to always report any suspicious activity around their vercinity for prompt response and action.
Some of the rescued girls who were between the ages of 16 years to 24 years all noted that they were either taken to the hotel by a friend or a relation on the basis of securing a hotel job for them while on the contrary they were trafficked.
They revealed that the person who brought them to the brothel usually seize their phones and other belongings before handing them over to another woman who notified them that they will only be released if they bring a certain amount of money to her or serve her for a period of one year.
On how much they make daily, they said that they make from 4,000 thousand naira to 10,000 thousand naira on week days and 15,000 thousand naira to 30,000 thousand naira on weekends which is taken away by their different direct bosses.
They also revealed that it is from the money they make that they pay their rent to the owner everyday, noting that they pay the sum of three thousand, five hundred naira (N3,500) as rent on a daily basis from the proceeds of the prostitution business.
When they were asked how they feed and cope at the brothel, the rescued girls all said that they were always given five hundred naira every morning for their feeding for the whole day and that the food is brought to them by the security positioned at different areas of the hotel.
The girls also revealed that they sleep with about 10 men a day in order to meet up with the target given to them or risk being beaten mercilessly by their madam.
The ministry said the suspects, who were also arrested, would be arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Magistrate Court in Awka.
