The police in Anambra State on Sunday evening stormed a hotel in Awka where it rescued nine girls used as sex slaves.
The police also arrested the proprietor of the hotel. Anambra People reports.
The police spokesman in Anambra State, Tochukwu Ikenga, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) on Monday night said this followed a tip-off from Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare about the activities of the girls in the hotel.
The girls were within the age bracket of 15-23 years.
From interrogation and confessions of the rescued girls Ikenga said, it was discovered that they were lured to the brothel on the assurances of giving them jobs to alleviate poverty and needs of their parents and dependents.
They further confessed that they were brought from Ebonyi, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, and Rivers States.
Meanwhile, the Police Command in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare has assured that the girls will be taken care of and safely returned to their parents and guardians. The police condemned the act and frowned at persons who take advantage of vulnerable individuals to make money.
It describes such places as a den where criminals take refuge and urged the people of Anambra to continue to provide the police with information about such places as the joint operations to weed such harbour has commenced.
It also gave out phone numbers and encouraged people to call the Command Control Room and the PPRO while resting assured that all information passed through these channels shall be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
Meanwhile, the case has been transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department Awka SCID, for comprehensive investigation and shall be charged to court afterwards.