The Italian police have arrested four Nigerians suspected to be members of the Black Axe confraternity over human trafficking, kidnapping, and allegedly forcing women into prostitution.
The four suspects were arrested in the early hours of on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, during an operation conducted in the Sicilian regional capital, Palermo, and Puglian regional capital, Taranto.
It was gathered that the Palermo flying squad led the investigation through their department for foreign organized crime and prostitution.
During the arrest, one of the suspects was taken into custody in Palermo, while the other three that were living in Taranto were also taken into pre-trial custody.
The suspects were charged with slavery, human trafficking, kidnapping, and pandering (recruiting prostitutes) as described by the police.
According to the information obtained from the Italian News Agency, (AGI) the police were acting on credible information obtained from a Nigerian female migrant who spoke against them that she had been forced into prostitution by the group.
The young lady who accused the suspects said she was assisted by one Nigerian female Pentecostal pastor, stating that she turned to the preacher for help after being forced to work as a prostitute in Italy.
According to her, she underwent a “juju” or traditional magic ceremony in Nigeria before being trafficked to Italy.
She also said she was first kidnapped by a group of Black Axe members in Nigeria before she escaped with the help of a fellow Nigerian. But to pay her back, she was asked to travel to Italy as a “slave”.
She added that during the ceremony, she promised to pay €15,000 for the journey once she arrived in Palermo under “the threat of death and violence” as reported by the Italian News Agency (AGI).
It was also gathered that the money she earned was taken from her to “repay” the debt after being forced to work as a prostitute.
Meanwhile, the pastor who assisted her has said, she has been receiving death threats.
Below is the video for the arrests:
Thank you for taking your time in reading through our Journal Today. We wish to always provide you with qualitative Stories as far as GOOD-JOURNALISM is CONCERN. But good journalism costs a lot of money and only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, accountability democracy, and a transparent government.
For continued free access to the best investigative journalism, we ask you to consider subscribing to our daily news updates.
