- Odibo Victory
The Lagos state Police Command has on Monday, rescued 12 girls from a suspected prostitution ring in Lagos.
According to reports, the girls who were rescued are between the ages of 12 and 16.
After the ring was raided, the Lagos Police launched investigations to unravel the network behind the operation.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Tijani, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the location of the hotel on Lagos Island.
He said the victims, who were trafficked from different parts of the state, were rescued during a police operation following intelligence reports on suspicious activities in the area.
According to the commissioner, preliminary investigations revealed that one of the victims has allegedly been brought by an individual under the guise of offering employment opportunities.
Tijani said investigations showed that the victim was instead allegedly subjected to sexual exploitation and forced prostitution for several months.
He explained that the victim informed investigators that she had been engaging in sexual activities with multiple men daily and had suffered abuse in the process.
The police chief added that the victim later escaped from the location and wandered around before coming to the attention of law enforcement authorities.
Tijani revealed that police investigations led to the discovery of other victims, bringing the total number of rescued girls to 12.
The commissioner said one of the victims was receiving medical treatment after she was taken to hospital due to her condition.
The police boss added that all the victims were currently under protective custody.
According to him, two suspects have been apprehended and efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate.
He said the command would collaborate with relevant agencies to provide support for the victims and ensure that perpetrators of human trafficking and sexual exploitation were brought to justice.
Tijani urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or activities to security agencies, stressing that community support remained crucial in combating human trafficking and related crimes.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the command to protecting vulnerable persons and sustaining efforts to rid the state of organised criminal activities.