Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abia State command, has arrested a mathematics teacher and one other for alleged attempt to traffic two teenage secondary school leavers in the state.
Parading the suspects, Ikechukwu Uduma and Enyiazu Goodwill in the state capital, Umuahia, the commandant, Paul Igwebuike, said they were arrested at a hotel following intelligence report by officers of the command.
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He said until their arrest, Uduma was a staff of a private secondary school in Umunna Nsulu in Isiala Ngwa North local government of the state where the girls had just finished their West African School Certificate Examination.
The commandant gave the names of the girls as Goodluck Nmesomachi (17) and Blessing Omini (16).
“The suspects have been under our surveillance due to their suspicious activities. And when we got an actionable intelligence, I immediately ordered my men to move on and arrest them,” he noted.
According to the commandant, the suspects had concluded plans to move the unsuspecting young school leavers to Lagos “and from there to God knows where, but unfortunately, they have landed in our net.”
“It was further revealed that Uduma had previously trafficked young school leavers through the help of Enyiazu and one of his own sister said to be working in Ogun State where the girls make stopover,” he added.
He frowned at attempts by the traffickers to promote what he described as modern day slavery in our society and vowed to collaborate with other security agencies and stakeholders to put them out of business.
The commandant called on parents, caregivers, and school authorities to take appropriate measures to ensure the protection of the girl child/minors from unsuspecting traffickers.
Igwebuike assured that upon conclusion of investigation, the suspects would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation and prosecution.
Items recovered from the suspects include a white colour Toyota Previa car with Reg. No. MUS 226HK and travelling bags containing personal effects of the girls.