Woman Who Dumped Her Family And Kids For Prostitution

A mother of two who abandoned her family to travel to Libya for the purpose of prostitution was among the four ladies rescued by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command from a human trafficker, Ganiat Ajilola, on Monday, January 11.

Cecilia Bankole, 26, a hairdresser, told the police that the 'Madam', as Ajilola was called, lured her from her family in Ogun State, with the promise of giving her a well paying job in the North African country, not knowing she was going to be sold into prostitution.


The victim stated that her husband opposed the trip, which made her to sneak out of the house, leaving her children behind, for the botched trip to Libya.

“I told my husband to allow me to go so that I would have an opportunity to raise the funds for the family. I pleaded with him, but he opposed the idea and started watching the children, so I wouldn’t be able to take them with me.

Although, I am a hairdresser, I have not performed the necessary process for graduation. Going to Libya to work as an artisan would have enabled me to raise funds for my graduation, as well as take care of my family.


Even when my mother pleaded with my husband, assuring him that she would be taking care of the children while I would be away, he still opposed the trip.

The woman did not tell us the number of years we were going to spend in Libya. She only told us that we were going by road,” Bankole said.

Her mother on the other hand, said she gave her approval for the journey after Ajilola assured her her daughter would be in safe hands. She also stated that she prayed about it and God told her it was safe for her daughter to travel to Libya.

“I was informed that a big madam, whom Ganiat Ajijola was working for in Libya, needed hairdressers to help her manage her shop. I begged her husband, but he declined to allow her go on the trip.

However, I prayed about it and God said she should go. That is why I encouraged her to go.


I am not aware that they were going by road. They told me Ganiat (Ajilola) was taking my daughter and others to Abeokuta to arrange passports for them.”

Operatives of the RRS, who had been on the trail of the human trafficker for two weeks before her arrest, said that they acted based on a tip-off from the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

They also said that the trafficker and the rescued women have been transferred to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Person and other related matters, (NAPTIP).