Shocking revelations have emerged from some girls recently rescued from a brothel by security operatives and officials of the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare. The victims, aged between 15 and 25 years, disclosed that they were forced to pay their madam a daily fee of N40,000 to continue their involvement in the illicit business.
According to the rescued girls, they were compelled to hand over the money before being assigned to sleep with men. In addition, they were obligated to generate returns of N10,000 to N15,000 each night, while receiving a mere N1,000 from each man they engaged with.
Tragically, one of the victims revealed that she was coerced into having sex with 50 men in less than a week to generate sufficient funds for the mandated returns. Their harrowing experiences shed light on the pervasive exploitation and trafficking plaguing vulnerable young girls.
The victims disclosed that they were brought to Awka by two women identified as Ifeoma and Chika, who had promised them legitimate employment opportunities. Unknown to them, they were being lured into the depths of prostitution.
“The women who brought us to the brothel seized our phones and other belongings before handing us over to another woman called Ezenwannyi,” one of the girls recounted. “She informed us that before we would be released, we had to produce the sum of N150,000 or serve her for one year.”
In a desperate bid for help, the girls managed to contact their families using a whistleblower’s phone. Their families promptly notified the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, which, in collaboration with the police, launched a raid on the brothel.
Mrs. Uchechi Friday, the mother of one of the victims, revealed that she had reported her daughter’s disappearance at a police station in Abakaliki. She was shocked when she received a call from her daughter, prompting her to seek assistance from the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in Anambra State.
Expressing gratitude for the swift response, Mrs. Friday commended the Commissioner, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Obinabo, and urged parents to remain vigilant regarding their children’s welfare and whereabouts.
Commissioner Obinabo emphasized the state government’s determination to eradicate child abduction, trafficking, and sexual slavery. She sternly warned hotel owners who employ underage girls for their establishments, asserting that they will face the full force of the law. Governor Chukwuma Soludo has personally pledged to prioritize the issue and ensure justice is served.
Obinabo further stated that the victims’ families had been contacted, and the girls had undergone medical examinations and necessary treatment. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Awka for thorough investigation and potential prosecution, as the authorities work to dismantle this network of exploitation and bring the perpetrators to justice.
