In a developing story involving the alleged sex trafficking of a 15-year-old schoolgirl, the mother of the victim, Mrs. Eunice Asulie, has been detained by the police. Authorities are holding her at Ovwian Police Station as part of the ongoing investigation, sources revealed.
The investigation began after Mrs. Asulie reported her daughter, Emmanuel Monday, missing at the Enerhen Police Station on October 21, 2024. She claimed she had been searching for her daughter, Emmanuella, for nine days.
The girl’s disappearance has since escalated into a major investigation after a viral video showed Emmanuella pleading for help, alleging that her mother had sold her to a suspected sex trafficker.
In the video, which has drawn significant public attention, Emmanuella claimed she was sold to the trafficker on October 13 at Beeland Hotel in Ovwian. She further explained that she managed to escape from the trafficker and found refuge with her classmate’s family in Effurun.
Following the girl’s shocking revelation, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, ordered the consolidation of cases reported at both the Ovwian and Enerhen police stations. These cases are now being handled at Ovwian Police Station, with the possibility of transferring the investigation to the State Police Command in Asaba for further inquiry.
On Tuesday, police officers led Emmanuella, her mother, the headmistress of her school, and a human rights activist, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, to Beeland Hotel to investigate the alleged crime scene. However, the police were reportedly denied entry by the hotel’s management, raising concerns about possible obstruction of justice.
In an effort to gather more evidence, the human rights activist involved in the case has requested several important documents from Mrs. Asulie.
These include Emmanuella’s birth certificate, school attendance records, mental health and immunization records, as well as Mrs. Asulie’s own identification documents, financial records, and marriage certificate.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has been informed of the case and is closely monitoring developments. According to reports, the Delta State Coordinator of the commission is also actively involved in ensuring that the investigation progresses without bias.
When contacted about Mrs. Asulie’s detention, the command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, told PUNCH that he was “not aware whether Emmanuella’s mother is being detained by the police or not.”
“What I am aware of, however, is that the Commissioner of Police has already called for the transfer of the case to the Command Headquarters,” Edafe said.
