The Ebonyi Police Command has arrested one Chukwudi Nwite, popularly known as “Igbaoto,” for alleged human trafficking.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Joshua Ukandu, told journalists on Thursday in Abakaliki that Mr Nwite, a Special Assistant (SA) on Internal Security to Ikechukwu Ogboffia, the chairman of the Onicha Local Government Area, allegedly facilitated the exploitative movement of a 16-year-old girl to Libya.
Mr Ukandu said the incident happened on October 10 and that the investigation was ongoing.
The victim’s father, Johnson Agu, while narrating the incident, alleged that Mr Nwite visited his home in the Ohoaffia Amoffia village, Ukawu community in the area, after which his daughter allegedly went missing.
“Upon inquiry, it was discovered that Nwite, camouflaged as a commercial motorcycle rider, picked my daughter up with her luggage at Onunworie Ohaffia in Ukawu to Ugwulangwu in Ohaozara LGA, where they allegedly boarded a bus for the journey,” he said.
Mr Agu further said he reported the matter to his community, where evidence about an alleged unholy business involving his daughter and another female member of the trafficking syndicate identified as Lady Maduabuchi Ugbala was revealed.
Commenting, the victim’s friend, a 15-year-old girl (name withheld), alleged that the suspect had wanted to traffic her alongside the victim but that she declined.
She also alleged that the accused person had taken pictures of her and the victim with his smartphone and sent the same to Ms Ugbala.
“After the arrangement with Nwite, my friend came to me and requested that I follow her to Amudo, a neighbouring community, where we would be enrolled in a tailoring apprenticeship.
“I accepted and asked that my parents be told about the plan. When she refused to involve my parents, I lost interest in the tailoring apprenticeship,” she said.
Clement Okorofor, the village head of Ohoaffia Amoffia Ukawu, corroborated that the accused person was seen taking pictures of the victim and her friend in the area.
He said Mr Nwite was later apprehended, and upon interrogation by the villagers on November 10, Mr Nwite admitted to having aided the victim’s trip to Libya by taking her to Ugwulangwu motor park, where she took off.
“Nwite admitted to have facilitated the victim’s trip and also provided the villagers with a phone number of his partner in the illegal business,” Mr Okorofor alleged.
Mr Nwite, upon further interrogation by the police, denied being a human trafficker but claimed he only assisted the victim and another girl with a phone to enable them to contact the alleged syndicate, Ugbala.
“I didn’t know the victim before, until sometime ago when she approached me and disclosed her intention to travel outside the country.
“I did not play another role pertaining to her journey to Libya, apart from connecting her to Ugbala and conveying her to the motor park,” he said.
Reacting, the state coordinator of the Gender-Based Violence Taskforce, Faithvin Nwanchor, said they would conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
“It is a case of human trafficking, and an investigation is ongoing. We hope for a just result,” Mr Nwanchor said.
The council boss, Mr Ogboffia, when contacted, said Mr Nwite should face the consequences if found culpable.
“I received a call last week that he was apprehended for alleged human trafficking. If he is found guilty, let him face the consequences.
“Chukwudi Nwite is among the six appointees sworn in as SAs on internal security to maintain law and order in communities in the local government area,” Mr Ogboffia said.
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