Yemisi Izuora
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP), Lagos Zonal command, on Wednesday said that it had arrested one Ojo Ademehintoye for allegedly trafficking one Miss Oluwatosin Adetula to Oman.
The NAPTIP Lagos Zonal Commander, Mr Daniel Atokolo, at the parade of the suspect in Lagos, said that the suspect was arrested on May 12 in his residence in Lagos.
Oluwatosin, an indigene of Ondo State, had on May 3 appealed for an urgent help to return to Nigeria after being trafficked to Oman against her consent.
The 26-year-old Oluwatosin had taken to social media platforms, asking for assistance to return to Nigeria after being confronted with huge exploitative and unbearable servitude in Oman.
Atokolo said the NAPTIP Director -General, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, gave the order that led to the arrest of the suspected trafficker and other members of the suspect’s syndicate.
According to him, the operation that led to the arrest of the suspect lasted two hours and was very intensive after several days of surveillance on the suspect.
“The agency deployed the combination of digital human intelligence gathering, static, mobile and drive-by surveillance on this particular arrest,” he said.
The Zonal commander said that Oluwatosin could not be flown out of Oman because of the current suspension of international flights into and out of the country by the Federal Government.
He said that it was part of the measures to combat the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in the country
Atokolo appealed to the youth in the country to beware of antics of traffickers whom he said were at present on the prowl.
He said that Oluwatosin was at present out of the reach of alleged traffickers.
“NAPTIP with the support of international partners will ensure Oluwatosin’s safe return soon,” the commander said.
Also, the suspect at the sideline of the parade told NAN that the victim willingly accepted the Oman job offer without been coerced.
“Oluwatosin is my boss’ girlfriend, we are both trained under “Ifepade Entertainment,” my boss’ company.
“Oluwatosin, who is also fondly called “PA” willingly offered to work as a house assistant in Oman and her mother knew about her journey to Oman.
”She once absconded from the job and returned exactly after two weeks.” Ademehintoye said.