A hotel in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has been raided by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the state.
Two underage girls were rescued during the raid, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSC Ekerete Friday, disclosed in a statement on Thursday.
According to the spokesperson, a teenager who was assisted to escape after being lured into sleeping with men at the hotel against her wish reported the case, leading to the raid of the illicit facility on Saturday, July 15.
According to the statement, the girl had worked at the hotel as a sales attendant in the Bar/Restaurant section before the wife of the hotel operator, identified as Madam Imaobong, mandated her to sleep with a man against her wish.
After she escaped from the hotel, the girl contacted men of the NSCDC, Akwa Ibom Command, who acted on the information given.
In their statements to the NSCDC, the survivors said they were forced to sleep with men from time to time and the proceeds were given to Madam Imaobong.
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It was gathered that the prime suspect, Imaobong, is still at large.
The statement in parts, “The Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps acting on intelligence raided a hotel in Ini LGA of Akwa Ibom State suspected to be engaged in under-aged prostitution.
“The raid followed from intelligence provided by one of the victims who was assisted to escape after being lured into sleeping with men at the hotel against her wish.”
The statement added that the suspect uses deceit of job offer to lure minors and young girls, only to use them for prostitution and changes their names once they get to the hotel for prostitution purposes.
It said the State Commandant of NSCDC, Eluyemi Eluwade has warned parents and guardians to be wary of the new tactics deployed by such criminals who lure young girls into unwholesome practices.
He said the Akwa Ibom State government has a free and compulsory education policy up to the secondary school level, therefore, parents should explore that opportunity and send their children to school.
He said the victims and other suspects picked up at the hotel will be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for more investigation and rehabilitation of the victims.