Police nabs 35-year-old man over human trafficking in Cross River -

23/12/2024

The Police Command in Cross River has apprehended one Victor Eyop, 35, for alleged trafficking of girls from Nigeria to Libya.

CP Gyogon Grimah, Cross River Commissioner of Police, confirmed this on Monday at a news conference in Calabar.

Grimah explained that on Nov. 9, one Mr Chidi Samuel, in Calabar, reported a case of human trafficking against the suspect.

He said that on that date, Samuel claimed that the suspect and his wife, Mrs Esther Eyop, allegedly recruited Ms Deborah Nyong, 25.

“They also recruited two others, Ms Anita Lawrence, 25, and Ms Mabel Tom, 16, for human trafficking to Libya after they were tested for the Human Immune Virus (HIV) and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STIs).

“After the test, the suspect took them to his house and the next day gave them a substance they were to mix in their bath water for cleansing before embarking on the journey.

“On Nov. 12, the suspect and his wife drove the girls to Bogobiri Street in Calabar, where they booked tickets and transported them to Kaduna with arrangements with one Hajiya (names unknown) to receive the girls in Kaduna,” he said.

The commissioner noted that while in Kaduna, a taxi driver was sent to pick up the girls and further transported them to Katsina. However, along the road to Katsina, the vehicle developed a fault.

Grimah said it was at this point that the victims realised that they were being trafficked, started contacting people for help and the complainant, Samuel, sent money to them through a Point of Sale (POS) operator along the road.

He said, with that money, they boarded a taxi back to Kaduna and found their way back to Calabar on Nov. 15.

Grimah said that court prosecution would begin the moment the investigation was concluded.

On his part, the suspect claimed that he did not know that what he did was an offense noting that he was only assisting people to travel out.

“I am not a travel agent, but my sister is in Libya, it is through her that the girls are being taken to Libya.

“The girls were aware of the plan from inception that they would be taken to Katsina and from where ‘Hajiya’ would direct them on how to get to Libya,” he narrated.