The National Agency for the Prohibition
of Trafficking in Persons and other related matters has arrested the
owner of a hotel at the Seme border in Badagry, Lagos, where teenagers
were allegedly being forced into prostitution.
The man, Chief Ibidun Joshua, owner of
Daka Hotel, is standing trial alongside four other persons before a
Federal High Court in Lagos.
NAPTIP, which filed the suit against
Joshua and his co-accused, alleged that they played different roles,
particularly in forcing two girls, Charity and Loveth (their aliases) 14
and 17 years old respectively, both from Benin City, Edo State, into
prostitution.
Arraigned along with Joshua on seven
counts of human trafficking were Osasuwa Ruth, Mabel Tasowia, Segun
Ajose and Taiye Adesanya.
The action was said to be contrary to
Section 15(a)(c) of the Trafficking In Person (Prohibition) Law
Enforcement and Admnistration Act, 2003.
According to the charge sheet before the
court, the first accused person, Ruth, who has already been convicted,
deceitfully lured 14-year-old Charity, on January 10, 2010 from Benin
City to Badagry for the purpose of forcing her into prostitution.
At the Thursday’s proceeding, a
prosecution witness, an investigator with the NAPTIP, Mrs. Agboko
Comfort, said, “The second accused person, Mabel Tasowia, was brought
into our office on March 8, 2010, and was charged with an offence of
bringing three victims, including one Peace from Benin City, and forcing
them into prostitution.”
The owner of Daka Hotel, was charged to court for running a hotel where teenagers were being forced into prostitution.
Ajose, the manager of the hotel was charged with the offence of encouraging the use of underage persons for prostitution.
Justice Okon Abang adjourned the matter till October 13, 2014.
PUNCH
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