How under aged girls were tricked into prostitution

Agnes

Three underage girls, who were among those recently rescued from a hotel in the Alaba area of Lagos, have given reasons for taking to prostitution.

Agnes, 12, said she was shocked when some policemen stormed the hotel, arrested and took them to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP), shelter at Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Before Agnes got to the age of 12, she had already lost her virginity to a man she identified as Okonkon. Her troubles started when her parents died a few years back while she was still in Primary II and left her in the care of an aunt.

She said: "I sold sachet water for my aunt for three years. Later, for no reason, she drove me out of her house. The landlady gave her quit notice for sending me out. It was the woman, who sometimes used to give me money to buy garri and drink. I started sleeping in the streets. It was in the street that I met Okonkon. He would take me to his house, sleep with me and give me money. No, I’ve never gotten pregnant."

As Agnes was struggling to survive, it was only a matter of time before a new problem calling came.

One day, a friend identified as Ugbo, called her. She told her the story of the beautiful city called Lagos State.

 She also told her about making fast money in Lagos and being a maid to a certain rich Madam.

Agnes was hooked. Ugbo told her it would be worthwhile if she could bring another girl along to Lagos.

Agnes quickly ran to call 14-year-old Peace, who was having problems with her mother following the death of her father.

Peace said: "I was having problem with my mother. It was not long after my father died that she started dating one man. She brought him to our house and he started living with us. Ugbo said we would sell something, but she never said anything about prostitution. I left with them and never told my mother."

They were however, shocked when they got to Lagos and were taken to a hotel in Ajegunle. They were also shocked to see one of their village girls called Stella.

 According to them, Stella’s mother had been searching frantically for her in the village.

Peace said: "When I saw the activities in the hotel, I told my Madam that I couldn’t do such a job. I told her I had never done it before, but she said I had to pay her the cost of transporting me to Lagos from Akwa Ibom."

Peace tried to buy time by charging her clients outrageous fees. Once they leave, she would lie to her madam that the men didn’t want to use condoms.

Stella, 15, a primary six drop-out, said she ran away from home to Lagos because she had the dream of working in a big supermarket and making quick money.

She got to Lagos to discover her real job. She said she made much fuss until the manager of the hotel, Atim, sent her away, saying she was too young.

Undaunted, the madam took her to another hotel, where she finally settled down to business.

Stella said: "I wish to return home to my mother. Atim never told me the ‘good job’ was prostitution."

The girls are already being rehabilitated by experts at NAPTIP. Agnes and Peace said they would give anything to go back to school.