By Francisca Irekpita
Operatives of the Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, codenamed So-Safe Corps, have rescued 10 victims, including Ghanaians, who were allegedly trafficked into Nigeria with promises of jobs and were subsequently locked up in a building in Ogun State.
The victims, who included three women and seven men, were reportedly lured from Ghana with job offers but were instead confined to a three-bedroom apartment in the Oke-Sioni area, opposite Comfort Zone Hotel, Mowe, in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement in Abeokuta, the corps’ commander, Dr. Soji Ganzallo, disclosed that the victims were denied freedom of movement and barred from communicating with the outside world.
According to the statement, the rescue operation was followed by the credible intelligence received by the corps on Friday, and the Owode-Egba Zonal Command, led by Assistant Commander of Corps Rasaki Jimoh, was immediately mobilised.
Commander Ganzallo explained that a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force, Redeemed Division, was carried out at about 10 am on Saturday, during which the victims were rescued and suspects arrested.
Those rescued and taken into custody include Frank Adjei, 45; Emmanuel Agyapong, 50; Adam Zakari, 33; Benjamin Etuah, 20; Asamoah Kwaku, 53; Yusuf Kasim, 27; Ogunle Damola, 32; Gift Dzakpasu, 21; Susana Ampons, 35; and Anita Otaibu, who was the first to be identified.
The statement added that one of the suspects, a Nigerian man, served as the building’s security guard and was believed to be complicit in the illegal detention.
He disclosed that all the rescued individuals and those apprehended have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, Redeemed Divisional Headquarters, for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The So-Safe Corps commended the synergy between its personnel and the police, describing the operation as a significant step in combating cross-border human trafficking and illegal detention.
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