Operatives of the Benue State Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have intercepted a female trafficker in her bid to traffick six female teenagers on their way to Burkina-Faso.
DAILY INDEPENDENT gathered that the operatives of the NSCDC swooped down on the suspect, Mnena Kwaghmande alongside her victims opposite Amaco hotel, Gboko, Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of the State last Wednesday (5th January, 2022).
The age range of the victims who were all geared up for the trip before they were nabbed by officers and men of the NSCDC are between 16 and 20 years old.
Dr Philip Okoh, the NSCDC State Commandant disclosed this while parading the suspect and her victims at the State Command of the Corps in Makurdi on Tuesday.
He explained that on interrogation, it was discovered that the suspect had told the parents of the victims, who hail from Vandeikya LGA of the state that she was taking them to assist her in selling food at her restaurant in Burkina-Faso.
Okoh said, “We are showing to the public what we have done so far in terms of securing Benue State and ensuring peace. Behind me, we have a seasoned trafficker who goes about luring unsuspecting parents by convincing them that they are going abroad for greener pastures.
“Investigations has revealed that they were taking them to Burkina-Faso. We did this operation in conjunction with officers of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),”
He cautioned parents against releasing their wards to people who promise them greener pastures abroad, adding that such journeys have and are still landing many in unimaginable throes.
The victims who corroborated the story of the suspect, whom they identified as a relation, had told their parents that she was sick and therefore needed them to go with her to Burkina-Faso and assist her at her restaurant.
Similarly, the Command paraded a suspected armed robber identified as Iorchivir Caleb, who specialises in robbing POS agents.
The robber who was arrested while trying to rob a POS merchant along George Akume way, Makurdi last Friday had in his possession a locally made pistol.
