Operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun on Saturday have arrested alleged abductor/ trafficker of 17-year-old Azeezat Alimi and 16-year-old Haleemat Sarumi.
The suspected abductor, a 29-year old Ayodeji Oluwadamilare was arrested in Ibadan four days after hiding the two girls with intention of taking them to Italy for prostitution work.
Ayodeji while confessing to his crimes said he transported the two girls from Lagos to Ibadan after the two teenage girls showed interest in his plan to relocate them overseas on a promise of work in Italy.
Ayodeji, a cousin to Haleemat, had previously shown the two girls a video of his elder sister in Italy requesting for persons who will like to come over to perform cleaning jobs. While the families of the Haleemat and Azeezat declared their children missing, the girls sent messages to their parents that they should not be searched for and that they are fine. He, thereby made calls to their parents to collect a sum of N5,000 and then N85,000 each to facilitate the return of the girls to their respective homes.
Speaking at the Amotekun office in Ibadan, Haleemat said her determination to leave home was driven by the constant maltreatment she suffered in the hands of her dad. Haleemat said she informed her friend, Azeezat of the plan to abscond from home to Italy and jointly connived with Ayodeji to request N85,000 from their respective parents to return home.
She said she was convinced having spoken with the woman in Italy that they were not going for prostitution. On his part, Ayodeji said he only offered to help persons he regarded as sisters to go abroad having witnessed the maltreatment they suffered in the hand of their parents. Ayodeji said it was the girls that insisted on not returning to Lagos and that his sister abroad promised that they will get the passport to Italy in Kaduna.
Speaking at the Amotekun office on how the arrest was made, father of Azeezat, Mr Tajudeen Alimi said he reported the case at a Lagos police station where with the aid of a tracking device, it was discovered that the girls were transported from Ajah to Agege and then Aperin in Ibadan.
Alimi reported that Ayodeji continued to call various relatives of the two girls to request for the payment of N85,000.
Relying on a strategy evolved by Amotekun, he said Ayodeji was lured to Arisekola mosque, Iwo Road, to receive the requested N85,000 for each girl where he was arrested by the officers.
Also speaking, mother of Azeezat, Alimi Mausi reported that Ayodeji requested N15,000 for a test as part of travelling requirements and then N85,000 for damages to get another set of girls to replace Haleemat and Azeezat if released.
On the Other hand, mother of Haleemat, Mrs. Sarumi Folashade said Ayodeji called her to request to take her daughter abroad because he could no more bear the maltreatment Haleemat suffered. Prior Ayodeji’s request, she said Haleemat only told her that she was discontent with the maltreatment and would go out to search for work but never told her about going abroad.
Speaking about the next line of action, the Commandant, Oyo Amotekun, Colonel Olayinka Olayanju (rtd) said both Ayodeji and the two girls will be handed over to men from the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti where the case was initially reported for effective punishment to be meted out.
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