The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raided and sealed a hotel, Thales Guest House in Kubwa, Abuja, rescued 12 young girls and arrested three suspects over alleged forced prostitution.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team of NAPTIP caught the suspects unaware at a hotspot known as Pipeline in Kubwa village in Abuja on Thursday night.
NAN observed that some of the under aged girls were caught with men in some rooms while some were seen only on panties and bras in the premises of the hotel.
Speaking with NAN after the raid, the NAPTIP Director of Investigation and Monitoring, Mr Josiah Emerole, said that the hotel which used underage girls for forced prostitution had become notorious in recent time.
Emerole explained that the guest house had been under surveillance and watch list of his agency as several complains and reports had been received from the neighbourhood.
“The hotel has been on our watch list because people living in that area brought complaints on how teenagers are being used for forced prostitution.
“We investigated and decided to strike and we chose a time that we will meet the suspects and victims right there at the hotel,” he said.
The official disclosed that three suspects, who were mainly women and the manager of the hotel, were arrested while 12 girls were rescued.
“We will interrogate the young girls, so that we will be able to separate the adult from minors,” he said.
Emerole said that investigation was ongoing, adding that if the suspects were culpable, they would be prosecuted accordingly. (NAN)