By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
A 58-year old woman, Mrs Modupe Bello Ajike, has been arrested by the Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, over alleged
involvement in human trafficking and child labour.
Shockingly, Mrs Bello, of B5, Cappa street, Bacita, in Edu Local Government Area of the state has been using the cover of Bacita rural setting to engage in the nefarious acts, far away from the watchful eyes of the security agencies.
The NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Babawale Zaid Afolabi, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, said that the lid was blown open on her human trafficking activities when a report was lodged at the NSCDC Divisional Office in Bacita, that an 18-year old Damilola Agbaje has been missing since January 18, 2022.
Damilola’s parents, who lodged the complaints, said that they suspected Mrs Bello over their missing daughter, which led to the Corps carrying out a raid on her residence, where three children in her captivity were found and recovered from her last weekend.
According to the NSCDC PRO, one Agbaje Oluwafemi, came to the Bacita Divisional Office of the NSCDC to report that his 18-year old daughter, Damilola Agbaje, was missing.
Oluwafemi, who lodged the complaint, said that he suspected the accused because she was the one that came to meet them few days earlier, begging the parents to release Damilola, his daughter, to her and strangely, the girl’s whereabout became unknown shortly after; since January 18.
The NSCDC spokesman said, “Detectives from the intelligence and investigations department later swung into action and a raid was carried out on the woman’s residence in Bacita, where three children were recovered while some photographs believed to be of the children that she had trafficked were also recovered.
“The age range of the children in the photographs are between 13 and 18 years. During interrogation, the woman admitted to the fact that she used to traffick children, and that the end users use these children as housemaids and other strenuous labours. But she denied knowing the whereabout of Damilola.”
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Commandant of the NSCDC, Iskilu Ayinla, has order that the matter be transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration Unit of the Corps for proper investigation and further actions.
