Human Trafficking Ring Busted In Delta State, 35 Arrested, Kingpin At Large

The Delta State Police Command has arrested 35 persons, including 23 teenagers, in connection with a human trafficking and child prostitution ring.

The suspects were apprehended at Big Dafe Hotel in Ughelli, following a tip-off about the illegal activities of one Chinyere, who is still at large.

According to police public relations officer in the state, SP Bright Edafe, the said Chinyere lures victims from the East with promises of employment as sales girls in a restaurant, only to force them into prostitution upon arrival in Delta State.

One of the victims, who escaped and reported the incident to the police, told investigators that she and two others were deceived by Chinyere and taken to Ughelli, where they were forced into prostitution.

The police have launched a manhunt for Chinyere, urging members of the public to report any information that may lead to her arrest.

Edafe said that the command is also investigating the role of Chioma Edafe, the 36-year-old owner of Big Dafe Hotel, in the illegal activities.

He said; “On 15/7/2024, acting on credible information received by the Command on the activities of one Chinyere (surname unknown) who specializes in trafficking women from the East and brings them to Ughelli Delta State for prostitution. Intelligence further revealed that she lures them by telling them that they are coming to Delta State to work as a sales girl in a restaurant.

“The Commissioner of Police Delta State CP Abaniwonda Olufemi who has zero tolerance for human/child trafficking detailed the DPO Ekpan CSP Aliyu Shaba to immediately work on the gathered intelligence and ensure that the hotel is located and the suspect arrested.

“Consequently, on 15/07/2024 at about 1900hrs, one of the victims (name withheld) was located and she revealed the illegal activities of the said suspect Chinyere ‘f’ surname unknown currently at large.

“She further stated that the suspect deceived her parents to follow her down to Delta State from Abia State to be a sales girl in a bar with a salary of #30,000 monthly, however on 12/07/2024, she and two other young girls followed the suspect down to a town she later understood to be Ughelli but on getting to their final destination, they saw other teenagers. They were naked and were informed that it was prostitution they were brought for which they declined and as a result, they were immediately thrown out of the hotel.

“Based on the information, a combined team of Surveillance stormed the hotel ‘Big Dafe Hotel’ by Ughelli/Patani Road, and arrested one Chioma Edafe ‘f’ 36yrs of Umuogbezea Community in Imo State who runs the hotel and Thirty-Five others among which Twenty-Three are all teenagers. Serious manhunt for the main suspect Chinyere is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, has reiterated his commitment to combating human trafficking and child prostitution in the state.

The police are urging anyone in distress to report to the nearest police station or call the command’s control room numbers.