(file photo) Victims of human trafficking rescued by NAPTIP

The Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has arrested a suspected human trafficker who escaped from Delta.

Mr Nduka Nwanwenne, the Zonal Commander in the zone which comprises Edo and Delta, disclosed this in a statement in Benin on Monday.

Nwanwenne said that the arrest of the 29-year-old suspect followed a midnight operation by the command on Nov. 10.

He added that the suspect was eventually arrested at Uwheru, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta.

“An earlier attempt two weeks ago to arrest the suspect met a brick wall as he escaped through the roof and jumped into a river,’’ the commander said.

“The suspect was alleged to have trafficked a 14-year-old primary five pupil of Udu Primary School, Uwheru, to his sister in Mali.

The sister equally handed over the victim to another lady who exploited her.

“According to members of the victim’s family, before the journey from Nigeria, the victim was made to believe that she was going to work in a supermarket.

“However, in Mali, she met other girls clad in pants and bra in a house, who were also being exploited.

“The victim was equally to be given pants and bra and forced to meet with male customers,’’ the zonal commander said.

Nwanwenne added: “her objection earned her undeserved beating and denial of food until she succumbed after a few days.

“However all her earnings were collected by the madam and upon pressure from the victim’s parents on the suspects, they were forced to release her back to her parents.”

He said that the command commenced investigations into the issue immediately a complaint was lodged by the victim’s family.

The zonal commander said that investigation was on to fish out other accomplices in the act.