Two suspects, Gift Okon and Omokaro Valentine, have been remanded for allegedly trafficking young girls to Europe for prostitution and sexual exploitation.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons arraigned the suspects at a High Court in Benin, Edo State, on two counts of procuring and harbouring underage girls for prostitution and exploitation contrary to Section 13(2) (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
According to the Counsel to the agency, Oburoh Okanigbuan, the victims who were indigenes of Akwa Ibom State, were procured sometime in April 2023 for the purpose of being subjected to an illicit job in Europe.
He added that the suspects also lodged the twin sisters in a brothel in Benin for the purpose of prostitution and exploitation.
Although the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges and requested bail, however, Justice Geraldine Imadegbelo order them to be remanded to Benin correctional centre while the case was adjourned till June 14 for a hearing.
