From Matthew Aramunde, Lagos
A Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gabriel Giwa Amu has petitioned a serving Police officer and his wife before the National Agency For the Prohibition of Traffic In Persons and Other Related Offences (NAPTIP), alleging their involvement in human trafficking.
In a release, made available to pressmen, the fiery lawyer, who said he had the instructions of his clients, gave the name of the policeman as Ehis Itua, who is currently serving with the Edo State Police Command and in particular seconded to the Edo State Commissioner of Police, who he alleged in tandem with his wife, Mrs Vera Ebuwa Itua, conspired to procure persons for prostitution.
The statement further revealed that sometime on April 10, 2014, Mrs. Vera Ebuwa Itua and her husband, Mr. Ehis Itua rented a three-storey building at No 19, Shamsuddeen Jaisimi Street, Sholebo, Ikorodu, for undisclosed purposes and that on August 2, 2014, his client noticed the presence of 13 (thirteen) single girls, all of Bini descent, from Edo state.
His client, according to Giwa, upon enquiry found out that these girls were brought to Lagos by the said Mrs. Vera Itua and her husband, stressing that his client reasonably suspected that the said girls were procured for the purpose of human trafficking and prostitution, which was later confirmed that the girls were procured for human trafficking and prostitution.
Giving vent to his client’s suspicion, Giwa revealed that on August 4, 2014, the girls, spotting Nigeria National Football jerseys, were spotted at the Murtala Mohammed Airport and that they did fly out to Belarus but were repatriated because they were not accompanied with the mandatory Letter of Invitation and Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA). Urging the agency to cause a detailed investigation, Giwa noted that till date, the said couple, are still perpetrating the act, suspected to be human trafficking and aiding in prostitution while alleging that the policeman uses his Police connection in protecting his wife.
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