A 39-year-old man identified as Yusuf has been arrested by the Adamawa State Police Command for allegedly trafficking girls from the state to Lagos, where they were reportedly handed over to another agent and transported to Ghana for prostitution.
A statement issued by the command to journalists in Yola on Tuesday, said the suspect confessed to working as a transporter in a wider trafficking ring for several years.
He reportedly worked with two women, identified as Happy and Elizabeth, who allegedly supplied the girls.
Yusuf told investigators that his responsibility was to convey the victims from Yola to Lagos and hand them over to another trafficker who would move them onward to Ghana.
“Happy once introduced me to the woman who normally collects the girls in Lagos and takes them to Ghana, but I don’t have direct contact with her,” he said.
He further revealed that he was paid ₦50,000 for each girl he transported, with victims ranging in age from 14 to 30.
The suspect also claimed he had stopped the activity for some time after losing his job and vehicles, but returned to trafficking “out of frustration.”
He expressed regret, stating that he is married with three children and would not want his daughter to be drawn into prostitution.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Suleiman Nguroje, confirmed the arrest, explaining that officers acted swiftly after receiving a tip-off from the parents of two girls who were being moved out of Adamawa State.
The girls were intercepted en route to Lagos.
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Nguroje added that Yusuf had provided detailed information about the trafficking network and admitted he could no longer recall how many girls he had transported since he began the illegal activity.
He confirmed that the recently rescued victims, aged between 14 and 21, were minors being trafficked out of the country.
The police spokesperson urged parents and guardians to remain vigilant and protect their children, especially young girls, from falling prey to human traffickers.
He also appealed to the public to report any suspicious movement or activity, emphasizing the importance of timely information in combating trafficking.
