Operatives of the Zone 5 Police Headquarters, Benin City, have rescued 11 people allegedly trafficked from Togo to Benin City, the Edo state capital.
The victims, nine males and two females, were allegedly lured into Benin City by the suspects, identified as Yoba Castle and Noril Tobamawo, on the pretence of facilitating their travel to the United States.
It was gathered that on reaching Benin City, they were made to do odd jobs and subjected to hardship while the American journey was used to extort money from the victims’ families.
The traffickers were said to have made contact with their victims’ families on reaching Benin City and demanded money to enable the victims to undertake the trip to the US.
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One of the victims was said to have escaped to Togo and reported the issue to the Togolese police, who informed the Nigeria Police through the Interpol.
The Zone 5 Police Headquarters’ spokesman, SP Tijani Momoh, said they received intelligence that some foreigners from Togo had been trafficked to Nigeria and were residing in Ekosodi, Benin City.
He said police operatives stormed the area and rescued the victims while the two traffickers were arrested.