Amotekun Corps in Osun State has made a significant arrest, capturing a suspected inter-state child trafficker named Isaac Okonu. This individual was apprehended while attempting to transport four under-aged boys and one 23-year-old, Dominick Udoh, from Akwa Ibom State to Osun for labour purposes.
According to a statement from the Amotekun spokesperson in Osun State, Yusuff Idowu, the suspect and the victims were intercepted in the Ifetedo Area of the state. It was revealed that the 23-year-old suspect, also from Akwa Ibom State, had enticed the victims with promises of job opportunities in Lagos, without the consent of their parents.
The suspect planned to take the victims to Ajebandele village in Osun, where he intended to use them as labourers on farms. The swift action of the Amotekun operatives led to the arrest of the suspect, preventing further exploitation of the young boys.
Isaac Okonu confessed to trafficking the boys without the necessary consent, admitting that he encountered them begging for money at a motor park in Akwa Ibom State. He convinced them to follow him to Lagos for work, disregarding the importance of parental consent.
The suspect and the victims have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Headquarters in Osogbo for further investigation and prosecution.
This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges of child trafficking and exploitation, highlighting the importance of vigilance and swift action to protect vulnerable individuals. The collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies like Amotekun are crucial in combating such crimes and ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals.
