The Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, has arrested a woman, Modupe Bello, over her alleged involvement in human trafficking and child labour.

Modupe, 58 of B5, Cappa street, Bacita in Edu local government area of the State was arrested for being in possession of three teenagers who were not her children.

Confirming the incident to the newsmen in Ilorin, spokesman of the NSCDC, Babawale Afolabi, stated that three children were recovered from the woman during a raid carried out at her residence in Bacita last weekend.

According to Babawale, one Agbaje Oluwafemi came to the Bacita Divisional Office of the NSCDC to report that his 18-year-old daughter, Damilola Agbaje,
was missing.

Oluwafemi noted that the “whereabouts of his daughter has been unknown since January 18, 2022 and that Damilola’s parents suspected Madam Modupe Bello because she was the one that came to meet them a few days earlier begging the parents to release Damilola to her.”

Babawale continued, “Detectives from the intelligence and investigations department later swung into action and a raid was carried out at the woman’s residence in Bacita where three children were recovered while some photographs believed to be that of the children that she had trafficked were also recovered.

“The age range of the children in those photographs are between 13 – 18 years.”

Babawale said that during interrogation, the woman admitted to the fact that she used to traffic children in which the end users use these children as housemaids and other strenuous labourers.

She, however, denied knowing the whereabouts of Damilola, Babawale said.

The Kwara State Commandant of the NSCDC Iskilu Makinde has ordered that the matter be transferred to the Anti-human trafficking and illegal migration unit of the corps for proper investigations and further action.