Police nab hotelier for turning job seeker into sex worker.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a hotelier, Victor Obano, for allegedly turning a 23-year-old female job seeker into a commercial sex worker in the Ijegun area of the state.

The police said Obano, who owned Tisa Hotel, allegedly lured the victim, Elizabeth, from Akwa Ibom, promising her employment in Lagos State.

Obano allegedly thereafter turned the job seeker into a sex worker in the hotel.

It was learnt that Elizabeth, a mother of two, reportedly got tired of being a commercial sex worker, and on October 5, told her elder sister on the telephone what she was going through.

The sister was said to have informed the police at the Anti-Robbery Squad of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, leading to Obano’s arrest.

It was gathered that another accomplice, a commercial sex worker, identified as Grace Edet, who allegedly was Elizabeth’s supervisor, was also picked up by the police.

Speaking at the command headquarters, Ikeja, Obano, who admitted to have brought the victim from Akwa Ibom, said he only assisted her to find a means of livelihood.

He said, “I am the manager of Tisa Hotel in the Ijegun waterside. I am not a human trafficker. It was only this lady that I brought from the village. I met with her father and he explained her predicament. She is 23 years old. She has two kids and she was living a miserable life. So, I decided to get a job for her.

“The police arrested me because I seized her phones. They said I did not want her to contact her family members, but I collected her phone because I did not want her to have an affair with several men.

“It was her elder sister who reported the matter to the police. The victim is with her brother presently. The arrangement was that I would be paying her and she would also hustle in the hotel and send the money to take care of her father.

“The police should let this matter be settled amicably. It is a family issue.”

The accomplice, Edet, said that Obano had instructed her to train Elizabeth in commercial sex.

She said, “I have worked in the hotel for some years. I am a commercial sex worker. When the manager came back from Akwa Ibom earlier in the year, he returned with the lady. He handed her over to me, saying I should teach her some tricks of the trade.

“I did not know the arrangement between them. When I asked the lady why she was brought, she replied that she was asked to hustle at the hotel. So, I do not have any fault in the matter.”

A police source said that Obano allegedly had more girls he used as commercial sex workers in his hotel.

The state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, who paraded the suspects, said the command would not tolerate any form of crime, urging the public to always avail the police of credible information.

EFCC Arrest Job Seeker For Forging Okonjo-Iweala Recommendation Letter

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a job seeker, Azuka Obiejogo for allegedly forging a recommendation letter purportedly from Nigeria’s Finance Minister and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

It was gathered that Obiejogo, a Higher National Diploma holder from a polytechnic in Anambra State, allegedly forged a reference letter purportedly from Okonjo-Iweala and presented it to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company for employment.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said, “Obiejogo is a Higher National Diploma holder. He forged a reference letter from the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and along with his curriculum vitae, requested employment in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company.”

The suspect was arraigned before Justice Muawiyah Idris of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on six counts bordering on forgery.

The charges read in part, “That you, Azuka Obiejogo, on or about August 11, 2014, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, intentionally induced the Tertiary Education Trust Fund to employ you as Account Officer II by presenting a forged reference letter titled, ‘Reference on Obiejogo Raymond Azuka’, purportedly made by the Honourable Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, recommending you as a worthy officer fit for employment and which act caused harm to the reputation of TETFUND.”

The EFCC stated that the offence was contrary to Section 320(b) and punishable under Section 322 of the Penal Code, CAP 532, Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1990.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, counsel for the EFCC, Halidu Mohammed, urged the court to fix a date to commence trial and to also remand the accused in custody. His application was opposed by Mohammed who asked the court for time to respond.

Justice Idris adjourned the case till June 2, 2015 for hearing of the bail application and commencement of trial. He ordered the accused to be remanded in the Kuje Prison.

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