The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, on Thursday, remanded two women in Uyo correctional centre over alleged human trafficking.
The defendants, Justina Usoro, 41 and Joy Usoro, 19, from Ikot Ekwere Itam in Itu Local Government Area, are facing a 10-count charge of recruiting, facilitating travelling documents of young girls and transporting them to Libya for prostitution and forms of exploitation.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Jonathan Esene, told the court that the defendants committed the offences sometime in February.
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Esene said that the defendants did organise and facilitate the foreign travel of a 20-year-old Emediong Akan, of Ikot Ekwere Itam and other young girls in Akwa Ibom to Libya to promote prostitution and other forms of exploitation.
He said the offences contravened Section 18 of Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 29 of the same Act.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.
The prosecuting counsel consequently made an application that in view of the defendants’ plea, they be remanded in a correctional centre.
Justice M.A. Onyetenu, granted the application that the defendants be remanded in Uyo correctional centre and adjourned the case till July 17 for commencement of trial.
