Operatives of the Ondo State Police Command have rescued 15 women, aged between 20 and 26, from a sex trafficking and exploitation network operating under the guise of job recruitment and social media content creation in Akure.
The police said this on Saturday, disclosing that a sting operation by its Special Weapons and Tactics Unit resulted in the rescue of the victims and the arrest of one Jayeola Joshua and two others linked to the syndicate.
Ayanlade quoted the suspects as saying that they promised the victims lucrative jobs as domestic workers, ushers, and overseas workers, among others, to lure them from different parts of the country to Akure. Thereafter, they confined the women in an apartment in Alagbaka, where they were forced into producing and selling sexually explicit content disguised as “relationship videos” for social media.
According to the police, the victims were forced to send nude photos and videos to clients, while the main suspect got the biggest share of the money earned. The apartment used for the illegal activity was reportedly rented solely for trafficking.
The victims were taken to the Police Hospital in Akure, where they received medical attention, counseling, and psychological therapy after their rescue.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, while ordering the case transferred to the Command’s Gender Desk for further investigation, directed that all the suspects be prosecuted. He also ordered the arrest of the property owners linked to the apartment used for the illicit business.
Lawal assured that the Command was committed to breaking trafficking networks in the state and called on parents to ensure that they verified any offer of employment before allowing their children to travel. He then appealed to the people to remain vigilant and give information that would help to reduce human trafficking and other crimes.
