Court remands man for trafficking 30 women to Libya

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Tuesday, ordered that a 28-year-old man, Abubakar Suleiman, who pleaded guilty to trafficking 30 women to Libya, be remanded, pending sentencing. The National Agency for the Prohibition In Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) charged Suleiman, who resides in Kadawa Military Quarters of Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano, […]

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano, on Tuesday, ordered that a 28-year-old man, Abubakar Suleiman, who pleaded guilty to trafficking 30 women to Libya, be remanded, pending sentencing.

The National Agency for the Prohibition In Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) charged Suleiman, who resides in Kadawa Military Quarters of Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano, with one count charge of trafficking in persons.

Justice Sa’adatu Ibrahim-Mark adjourned the matter until March 25, for sentencing.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr Abdullahi Babale, told the court that the defendant on February 10, conspired with one Salele (a Nigerien) now at large, and transferred 30 women from Edo and Lagos states to Niger Republic through Babura border in Jigawa, enroute Libiya.

Babale said the defendants deducted N5,000 from each of the women from the N50,000 paid per person from the sponsors in Libya and Niger Republic as commission.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of Section 13(2)(c) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015.

The defendant, however pleaded guilty to the charge.

Babale tendered the defendant’s statement and one of the victims’ statement as exhibit and urged the court to sentence the defendant according to section 356 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2015.

Counsel to the defendant, M. B. Isa, pleaded for leniency on behalf of his client as a first-time offender.

“The defendant is married and has five children. We pray the court to temper justice with mercy according to section 416 (2) of ACJL 2015,” he said. (NAN)