The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP is prosecuting four persons for alleged offences of rape, child theft, child labour and abuse. The Director Investigation and monitoring of NAPTIP, Josiah Emerole said the alleged offences contravened the agency’s act and the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act of 2015.
One of the alleged offenders, 43 year old Stephanie Bassey from Akwa Ibom State who lived in Sweden was brought to NAPTIP in August this year by the officers of the intelligence and International Cooperation after she was handed over by the Embassy of Sweden in Nigeria on the Suspicion that she was not the biological mother of a two month old baby she came to procure a visa for.
She claimed she was pregnant for her husband in Sweden but that medical examinations could not detect the pregnancy over there and was advised to return to her state where the pregnancy could be detected and she would be assisted to deliver safely.
Though the DNA test conducted on her and the baby boy showed that there was no biological relationship between them, Mrs. Bassey insisted that she delivered the baby through the help of a midwife in Uyo.
The second case had to do with child labour and abuse allegedly committed by a 37 year old woman Mrs. Ifeoma Obinwa, a residence of Dutse Alhaji, in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
She was alleged to have on the 12th of this month inflicted grievous bodily harm on her 14-year-old house help by beating her and placing a hot knife on her buttock.
Mrs. Obinwa told journalists that she acted in anger.
The third case was that of a 29 year old Mrs. Sandra Obiosio, a native of River State who resides at Jabi Area of Abuja. She was accused of procuring a 12 year old girl as house help from Nasarawa State last year, who she usually maltreated and forced to do the whole house chores, take care of children and beaten regularly by her madam Mrs. Obiosio. Mrs.
Obiosio, however, denied the allegations.
The last case was that of a 37 year old Mr. Francis Yusuf from Plateau State who was being prosecuted for raping his wife’s 17 year old cousin living with them in their Jikwoyi residence in Abuja.
Mr. Yusuf whose wife was said to have traveled allegedly had canal knowledge of the girl before leaving for work and locked her inside the house. He denied the allegations.
The Director Investigation and monitoring of NAPTIP, Mr. Josiah Emerole said the agency would leave no stone unturned to get to the root of the matters and ensure that justice was done. He gave an assurance that the agency would not rest on its oars until the challenges of human trafficking and child abuse were dealt with in the country.
