A Bayelsa State High Court has sentenced a 29-year-old woman, Mariam Omokiri, from Delta State, to seven years in prison for human trafficking.
Omokiri was found guilty of trafficking, exporting, and promoting prostitution involving young girls, and was also ordered to pay a fine of one million naira.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday in a case filed by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Offences (NAPTIP).
According to court records, the convict was arraigned on January 30, 2025, for organising and trafficking four girls from Bayelsa State to Mali and Senegal for prostitution.
Justice Doris Adokeme, who delivered the judgment, said the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
She ruled that Omokiri’s actions violated Sections 13(1)(2)(b), 13(4)(a)(c), 14(b), and 18 of the Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
Adokeme described human trafficking as a grave offence that tarnishes Nigeria’s image internationally.
Reacting to the ruling, Acting Commander of NAPTIP Bayelsa State Command, Fadewara Timiebiowei, represented by Charles Emomotimi, said the verdict sends a clear message that Bayelsa will not tolerate human trafficking.
“This will send a signal that Bayelsa is not a safe haven for human trafficking activities,” he said.
He also urged parents and guardians to report suspected trafficking cases to NAPTIP or any security agency.
The judgment comes just days after the Rivers State Police Command uncovered a child trafficking syndicate led by an ex-convict, Blessing Jack, who was involved in stealing and selling babies from vulnerable mothers.
