22nd January, 2022
By Jethro Ibileke
No fewer than 28 teenage victims of human trafficking have been rescued by a team of local vigilantes in Benin City, Edo State.
The victims whose ages ranged between 13 and 17 years, were rescued during a stop and search operation by the local operatives.
The State coordinator, Edo State Community Vigilante Security Network, Oboh Emmanuel Otoide, disclosed this in a statement issued from the office of Mr Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser on media projects to Governor Godwin Obaseki.
According to him, “The victims were rescued by our men around 2 a.m on Tuesday along Akpakpava Road in Benin City. Three suspects, including two drivers conveying the victims to their destinations were arrested during the operation and handed over to the Department of State Services for further investigations.
“Our preliminary investigations revealed that the victims were being moved from the South East, enroute Edo State, to the South West of the country.”
Meanwhile, the operatives have arrested a man who allegedly robbed people of their personal belongings while pretending to be insane.
“The suspect who identified himself as Olatunji was arrested around Baptist Church at Ring Road, Benin City and has been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force.
“Items recovered from the suspects include ATM cards belonging to victims,” he said.