The post Police Absolve Officer Of Involvement In Human Trafficking appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
LAGOS – The Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos Police Command, has denied the involvement of Matthew Esan, one of its officers, in the alleged children trafficking at the airport.
The police insisted that Esan, an Inspector, was diligently carrying out his official duties at the airport before he was arrested for the offence by officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) who accused him of an offence he never committed.
Mr. Joseph Alabi, the Spokesman of Police at the airport command, accused the officials of NAPTIP of overzealousness, insisting that Esan was never involved in the act.
Alabi, who was speaking with newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, explained that investigations carried out by the command showed that the said officer was carrying out his legitimate duties at the airport terminal before the arrest.
He stressed that Esan had received one Henry last Saturday at about 7.30 p.m. who claimed he was sent to him by someone.
He declared that it was then that NAPTIP officials swooped on Esan, accusing him of engaging in human trafficking to Russia for the FIFA World Cup tournament, scheduled to commence on Thursday.
He said, “While trying to get acquainted with the said person, some men who were later discovered to be NAPTIP operatives descended on him and seized his phone as well as his police identity card.
“The officer was later told that he was among a syndicate trafficking young Nigerians to the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in Russia and was later taken to the NAPTIP office alon with some other arrested persons and 10 rescued youths.”
Alabi said that investigations by the command revealed that Esan was innocent of the accusations and was released on Monday by NAPTIP after arrested persons confirmed that they did not know him.
He however declared that the command would continue to work with NAPTIP and other sister agencies towards tackling human trafficking and other criminal activities within the airport environment.
He further assured the travelling public and airport users that the command was committed to their safety and security at all times.
Recall that NAPTIP had said in a statement on Saturday that it arrested two police officers and three others believed to have been involved in attempts to traffic 10 children to Moscow.
The post Police Absolve Officer Of Involvement In Human Trafficking appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
