The suspect and his wife who claimed to be a prophetess was said to have been in the business of human trafficking for a while but luck ran against them after Taiwo Ajayi Adedire who was trafficked few months ago raised alarm through her husband.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested notorious human trafficker Sunday Akinyemi for allegedly trafficking multiple individuals, including a mother of three, Taiwo Ajayi Adedire, his own daughters, and several others, to Libya.
The suspect and his wife who claimed to be a prophetess was said to have been in the business of human trafficking for a while but luck ran against them after Taiwo Ajayi Adedire who was trafficked few months ago raised alarm through her husband.
Addressing newsmen, the Director General NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello who spoke through the NAPTIP Commander in Ekiti State, Oladimeji Ademola said the suspect was arrested after the husband of the victim, Niyi Adedire reported the case to the head office in GRA, Ado Ekiti.
Adamu Bello confirmed that the wife of the suspect was left behind by officers of the agency because she was on medication as at the time her husband who is in the custody was arrested.
She confirmed that the prophetess has been under surveillance and would also be brought in later for due prosecution with her husband.
Narrating her ordeal, the victim, Olanike Ajayi Adedire who is now stranded in Libya told the journalists on telephone that the wife of the suspect who is a prophetess tricked her that she would be going to Turkey to live a better life only for her to land in Libya where she was subjected to hard labour and prostitution.
She noted that the prophetess also collected her freezer promising to assist her with some spiritual work that would enable her succeed in the foreign land.
In his statement, the husband of the victim, Niyi Adedire affirmed that he gave his wife some money to travel to Ijesa lsu in respect of her father's burial but suddenly disappeared.
He said the situation left the whole family confused until few weeks ago when she reached out in tears calling for help from Libya.
He said his wife was the one that gave him the phone number and address of the prophet and her husband, alleging that they promised to take her to Turkey but she ended up in Libya.
Also the agent whom Taiwo Ajayi Adedire was sold to confirmed that the suspect, Sunday Akinyemi was introduced to her by another agent whom he had been working with over the years.
The agent added that she had earlier sent five hundred thousand Naira to the suspect for five girls but he defaulted, before he later brought in the victim after much pressure.
She promised to return the victim to Nigeria only if the family can refund the money spent to bring her in the country which amounted to one point one million Naira.
During interrogation, the suspect, Sunday Akinyemi confirmed the allegation but claimed he was only trying to assist the lady since two of his own daughters were also there.
The suspect is to be charged to court after due investigation.
Comments