Two suspected human traffickers, Awulonu Franklin and Joseph Ukaluo, have been arrested in Abuja by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons.
This was disclosed on Friday by the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi.
Waziri-Azi told newsmen the trafficking syndicate was busted by officers of the agency on Friday at about 11:00 hours.
She said that the suspects are part of the syndicate that specialises in moving young female Nigerians between the ages of 16 and 26 to India for sexual exploitation and possible organ harvesting.
After days of undercover activity by operatives of the agency, a sting operation was perfected, the DG disclosed.
The agency rescued two female victims, aged between 16 and 22.
The survivors, narrated their pathetic story of how they were lured by the syndicates, were taken to the Embassy.
The victims were reportedly forced to swear to an oath of allegiance in two shrines, located in Delta and Imo.
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One of the victims narrated how her very close friend who has already been trafficked to India was subjected to having sex with a minimum of 10 men daily.
Waziri-Azi further said that the agency was on the trail of the suspects’ accomplices in India.
The DG said that the two suspects, who claimed to be operating a mobile tour company as at the time of their arrest, were found in possession of 28 passports.
According to information on the passports, the victims were from Ghana, the Republic of Benin, the Niger Republic and other countries.
Waziri-Azi listed other materials found in the possession of the suspects as Laptops, phones which are under forensic examination, and other equipment related to the commission of the crime.
She disclosed that a total of 10 letter-headed papers belonging to different companies were also recovered from the suspects.
Franklin believed to be a prime suspect in the offence, denied involvement in trafficking, saying he only operates a travel and tour company through which he had assisted many people.
He said that some of the passports recovered in his possession belonged to some of his clients travelling to study in some countries, including a University in India.
“My company is registered as ‘Endless travel and tour agent’, and I have been in this business since 2018,” he said.
Ukaluo also said that he knew Franklin as a travel agent and nothing more than that, adding that they had both lived in the same neighbourhood for many years.
Mr Daniel Atokolo, Director, Investigation and Monitoring Department, told journalists that an investigation is ongoing into the matter.
According to him, the investigation will involve a forensic examination of all the properties recovered from the suspects.