Date: 2020-01-11

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara State has condemned the rising trend of human trafficking in the country and vowed to deal with anyone caught in the state according to the dictates of the law.

Abdulrazaq gave the condemnation, on Friday, in Ilorin in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, in reaction to video footage which featured one Ms Ajayi Omolola, a victim of human trafficking in Lebanon.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Omolola, whose parents live in Ilorin, was tricked into travelling to Lebanon in the guise of engaging her as an English tutor.

NAN also reports that instead of employing Omolola as a tutor, she was being used as a slave.

"The governor condemns this development in the strongest terms possible and has immediately linked up with the security agencies to get to the root of the matter.

"We are glad to announce that three suspects, comprising two Nigerians and the Lebanese referred to in the footage, have been arrested in connection with the case and the suspects are being interrogated.

"Apart from Ms Ajayi, discreet investigations by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, in Kwara State have revealed that there are at least 28 other victims of this horrible trafficking gang.

"The governor is concerned that fellow human beings are engaging in another round of slavery despite the horror and unquantifiable loss of the 20th Century,” the statement said.

It urged residents to be bold to report any such activity they might know of in their neighborhood.

"He also calls for the highest penalty for anyone caught in the activity, no matter their class in the society, to deter others from engaging in it," the statement added. (NAN)