NAPTIP arrests Italy-based Nigerian

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 47-year-old Italy-based Nigerian, Mrs. Lasiru Rossato Dolly, for alleged human trafficking.  The suspect who is married to an Italian was said to have been apprehended by NAPTIP in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). A statement signed […]

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 47-year-old Italy-based Nigerian, Mrs. Lasiru Rossato Dolly, for alleged human trafficking. 

The suspect who is married to an Italian was said to have been apprehended by NAPTIP in collaboration with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

A statement signed by the Commander, NAPTIP Benin Zonal Office, Nduka Nwanwenne, and made available to journalists yesterday, said the suspect operated a purported company called African Choice and Import Market through which most of her victims were trafficked to Italy.

The statement read in part: “In August 2014, the suspect recruited a 25-year-old victim through one Egberemwen Enobakhare and made the victim’s parents depose to an affidavit of parental consent which changed the name of the victim to another name given to her by the suspect. 

 “The parents equally signed some agreements with the suspect’s lawyer in Benin and allegedly agreed that the victim was only going to work in the suspect’s shop in Italy, not for prostitution.”

 Nwanwenne added in the statement, “As part of the agreement, the victim would pay 62,000 euros to the suspect in two and a half years before regaining freedom. By August this year, the victim would have spent three years with the suspect as a sex slave.

He explained that before the journey, she was first taken to Maya shrine in Oluku, in Benin, where she was given a black soap to bath with and also deposited her finger nails and pubic hair.

Nwanwenne noted that the victim was also taken to another shrine in Ogun State, where an oath was administered on her.

The zonal commander disclosed that the suspect had earlier allegedly collected N800,000 from one Egberemwen Enobakhare for the purpose of facilitating his movement to Italy and getting a job for him through the purported company.

 “It was later discovered that the suspect was only interested in female victims who she used as sex slaves. The suspect has been detained while investigation continues,” he said.