Edo Taskforce Arrests 42-Year-Old Woman for Attempted Human Trafficking
The Edo State Taskforce on Human Trafficking has detained 42-year-old Juliet Ukhurebor on charges of human trafficking.
According to FIRST CLASS GISTS, the taskforce officials apprehended the suspect at her shrine in Benin City, where they also seized a native pot containing concoctions as evidence.
During a press briefing in Benin City, Mrs. Pauline Irusota, Secretary of the taskforce, revealed that Ukhurebor was arrested alongside an accomplice, Joy Osawe.
Irusota stated that the arrests followed a petition filed by 25-year-old Rita Godwin. The petition alleged that Ukhurebor, in collaboration with her daughter in India, had forged Ghanaian passports and other documents to traffic victims to India.
She further explained that Ukhurebor had already managed to smuggle a girl named Juliet Osagie to India. The taskforce’s Secretary noted that the victims were informed after taking an oath that their destination in India was for prostitution.
Godwin, upon learning about the true nature of the journey, refused to proceed with the final leg of the trip to Abuja, which was en route to India.
“After the petitioner declined to travel to India, the prime suspect and a native doctor from Enugu State started threatening her, demanding N8 million as reimbursement for the travel documents,” Irusota said. “The suspect was arrested at her shrine, where we also recovered a native pot containing concoctions as requested by the investigators.”
In an interview, Ukhurebor admitted to making her victims swear an oath before traveling to prevent them from disobeying instructions.
“The oath-taking was intended to intimidate the victims into compliance and prevent them from absconding while in India,”
