The principal suspect in the kidnap of a teenager, who was
taken to Libya for prostitution last year, Kelvin Okorie, said
yesterday that he gave his cousin out after taking N10,000
from the suspected traffickers.
The victim, 15-year-old Precious Ugochi Okoro, a boarder at
Ikenne Community High School, Ikenne, Ogun State, was
reportedly attacked by cultists, while on her way to school in
May 2014.
Thereafter, she was reportedly kidnapped and taken to Libya,
where she said she was forced into prostitution before her
release by the Police in Lagos.
Surprisingly, one of the alleged masterminds turned out to be
her cousin, Kelvin Okorie, who was said to have been at the
forefront of the search since Ugochi’s disappearance.
The suspect, alongside a trader at Alaba International Market,
Ogbonna Njoku, were paraded before journalists yesterday at
the command’s headquarters, Ikeja, by the command boss,
Kayode Aderanti.
Asked why he did not disclose the whereabouts of Ugochi to
her parents during the search, he claimed he was afraid of the
consequences.
On his part, Ogbonna Njoku, a compact discs dealer at Alaba,
claimed he was unaware that his elder brother, who left for
Libya three years ago, was into such act over there.
He said all he did was in good faith, wishing that the hand of
the clock could be turned back so he can act otherwise.
How I was tortured
Giving a chilling account of what transpired in Libya, Ugochi,
who looked traumatized disclosed that she spent nine days on
the road before reaching Libya and rested for three days
before the reality of what lay ahead dawned on her.
She said: “I was taken to the connection house, where I saw
over 1,000 naked Nigerian girls. I told them to put on their
clothes that men were passing by. They laughed at me and
called me a JJC.
“Later, the coordinator who we referred to as Madam, came
and said I should undress and start work. When I refused, I
was beaten to a state of coma, with my clothes torn into
shreds. This torture continued for days until I succumbed by
sleeping with men.
“I was told I had to raise the three thousand dollars used to
bring me to Libya and another 3,000 Libya dinars for
accommodation and feeding.
“But to my surprise, when I finished paying with the proceeds
from prostitution, I was sold to a lady, who turned out to be
my saviour. It was through her I contacted my mother.
The arrest
Aderanti said after holding the teenager against her will, her
abductors contacted her parents, using different telephone
numbers and demanded for money, ranging from $30,000,
N200,000 to N30,000 as ransom, which they directed should
be paid into different account numbers.
He said: “I ordered a thorough and diligent investigation
geared towards liberating the victim from her captors and
arresting the masterminds of the plot.
“Numerous suspects were arrested but the breakthrough came
when a decoy team of SARS, led by Abba Kyari, arrested one
Kelvin Okorie, a cousin to the mother of the victim. Through
him, contact was established with the gang’s member in
Libya, which subsequently led to her safe return on Friday,
April 24.
“Medical process were initiated at my directive to fully
rehabilitate the victim and make her a valuable member of the
society.”
He further disclosed that moves were on by the command to
rescue other Nigerian teenagers, who were kidnapped and
forced into prostitution in Libya, with the collaboration of
Interpol.