Lagos authorities have dismantled a human trafficking operation that sent young Nigerian women to Mauritania for sexual exploitation, including a case where a mother trafficked her own 19-year-old daughter for a mere N50,000 payment.
Police from Zone 2 Command conducted a raid on March 22, capturing two suspects at their Meiran hideout in Lagos State. The investigation revealed a sophisticated cross-border network where victims were deceived with false promises before being transported abroad.
During interrogation, the primary suspect admitted to collaborating with a Mauritanian-based operator who specifically requested women under 22 years old for sex work. This same suspect confessed to receiving N50,000 commission per victim, with total earnings exceeding N500,000.
Particularly disturbing was the revelation that the suspect had trafficked her own teenage daughter through this same scheme, demonstrating the extreme exploitation occurring within this criminal enterprise.
The second suspect initially claimed involvement only in domestic worker recruitment but became suspicious after her referred candidate was rejected. She told investigators she withdrew from the operation upon discovering the true purpose was sexual exploitation, noting her recruit was deemed unsuitable “due to her age and body size.”
According to Zonal Public Relations Officer Umma Ayuba, the operation was led by SP Francis Kpoughul’s intelligence team. Ayuba confirmed the suspects will face court proceedings once the investigation concludes.
The case bears similarities to previous trafficking operations, with investigators noting that one suspect was introduced to the scheme by a woman currently serving prison time for identical offenses, suggesting a persistent pattern of exploitation targeting vulnerable young Nigerian women.
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