NAPTIP Denies Receiving Underaged Girls Rescued from Port Harcourt Brothel

Blessing Ibunge

The National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, (NAPTIP) in Rivers State, has denied insinuation that the underaged girls forced into prostitution at a brothel in Azikiwe street, Mile 2, Port Harcourt, were rescued and handed over to the agency last Saturday.

In an interview in Port Harcourt, the Head of NAPTIP in the State, Nwamaka Ikediashi, said the Police never handed over anybody to them.

She explained that they heard of the arrest of the underaged commercial sex workers but no victim or suspect was handed over to NAPTIP.

The NAPTIP Commander revealed that on her visit to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Eboka Friday on Tuesday, to discuss with him on the matter, said the CP told her that the matter may have been charged to court.

“Police never handed over anybody to us. We just heard of the arrest but they didn’t hand any victim or suspects to us. And I have taken pain to see the Commissioner of Police and discuss with him over the matter. He told me that is like the matter has been charged to court”.

Meanwhile, a civil society group, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign Rivers State, has tasked the State Police command to disclose the status of the matter involving the said rescued girls forced into prostitution and arrest of suspects in the by operatives of Rumulomeni Police Division (aka Iwofe Police station).

Chairman of  the group, Mr IK Alexander,  said the group heard about the arrest from the Commander of NAPTIP that  told her the matter has been charged to court.

Alexander said when members of the organization went to the court in Port Harcourt, to follow up with the matter, such as at on Tuesday was not yet registered in court.

He,however, called on the Police to  make known the court the suspects were charged as interested party in the matter.

He explained that “is also important the Police disclose the court the suspects were arraigned considering the interest of the public on the matter”.

The group equally demanded to Know the state of the underaged girls if they were handed over to the Rivers State Government or reunited with their parents, while calling on the  State Government to take adequate steps in partnering with NAPTIP, Police and other stakeholders to get the state rid of menace of forcing underaged girls into prostitution in brothels.