The Gender Unit of the Nigeria Police Criminal Investigation Department, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Friday, raided Ignobis Hotels, Gado Nasco Road in Kubwa, pin Abuja over alleged abuse, endangerment of minors.
The raid was led by Inspector Ossai Ojobo, an Investigation Police Officer, alongside officials of the Social Development Secretarial (SDS), FCT Administration and representatives of a non-governmental organisation.
During the raid, the Hotel Manager, Mr Akbueze Chidi and a restauranteur, Priscilla Abuyah were arrested and taken to the Force CID for questioning.
The raid followed a petition by Human Rights Agenda Network (HRAN), an NGO, to the Social Welfare Department of the SDS, alleging that the hotel was habouring minors and exposing them to sexual exploitation.
Mrs Joy Omokivie, the SDS Officer in charge of the case, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the SDS channeled the petition to the Gender Unit of the Force CID to investigate the matter.
Omokivie added that the hotel was classified as a brothel by residents, where young girls, including underaged girls were being brought in for sex.
She said in the petition, HRAN alleged that a 12-year-old minor and her younger brother, 4, were living in the hotel with a woman, purported to be their mother.
She added that after some investigations, the 12-year-old girl was rescued and is currently in the custody of the Social Welfare Department, “while the young boy is still with the mother.”
The raid is part of an ongoing investigation to determine the veracity of the allegations, saying if found to be true, the minors will be rescued and culprits prosecuted.
HRAN had in the petition accused the woman, Mrs Immanuela Austyn-Araki, a Bolt driver of abandoning the children in the hotel in the morning, leaving them to fend for themselves.
The NGO claimed that the children eat mostly snacks and noodles until she returns late at night or the following morning.
Details later.
