Photos: Ogun School Girl’s Cousin Narrates How She Met Her, Sold Her To Libya Pimp

                                            Okorie                John                              Precious

Kelvin Okorie (aka Okito), the maternal cousin of the
15-year-old Ogun schoolgirl, Precious Nwaigwe, who was kidnapped and sold to
Libya, has said he was paid N10,000 for the deal.

Okorie spoke on Tuesday at the Police Command Headquarters
in Ikeja, where he was paraded along with his friend, Ogbonna Njoku (aka John).

Njoku’s brother, Nzube Chukwu, who is based in Libya, was
said to have taken custody of Precious before selling her to a pimp.

The pimp claimed she bought Precious for $6,000 and forced
her to work for the money.

However, Okorie, a tiler, while talking to journalists,
denied knowing the money he collected on the fateful day had anything to do
with Precious being trafficked.

He said, “There was a day I was going to my house in Ojota
when a lady called me and said she was my cousin. I said I did not know her,
but after she introduced herself to me, I recognised her.

“I asked what she was doing in that area by that time of the
night because it was 10pm. She said I should come and see a guy, who she
introduced to me as her boyfriend.

“She followed me to my house, together with one of my
friends, Daniel. She narrated everything that happened to her and how she was
attacked by cultists in Ode Remo.”

Okorie said his friend, Daniel, who was to travel asked him
if Precious would be interested in travelling with him.

He said he was happy and discussed it with the victim, who
agreed.

“She said she had not finished schooling, but I said she
could go there to continue her education and even work at a filling station
where she could make money and send to her parents.

“It was after that day that we went to Ogbonna (Njoku)’s
place in Alaba. Ogbonna gave us the number of his brother in Libya and I did
not know what they planned. It was while we were at Alaba that Daniel gave me
N10, 000.”

However, Njoku said his brother, Chukwu, had only spent
three years in Libya and that he did not know the business he was into.

Njoku, who sells compact discs in Alaba market, claimed
Okorie, Precious and Daniel only visited him and demanded his brother’s phone
number, which he gave them.

“Immediately I connected them with my brother, I left them.
I was surprised when the police arrested me. I did not know anything about
this. It was after my arrest that I learnt what happened,” he added.

A mild drama however played out when the police
spokesperson, Kenneth Nwosu, put the two suspects together and querried them.

Below is an excerpt of what played out.

Police PRO:    
Okorie, the N10, 000 you collected was for what?

Okorie:           I
said I did not have money and that was why Daniel gave me the money.

Police PRO:     Was
the money meant for the sale of Ugochi (Precious)?

Okorie:           He
just gave me the money.

Police PRO:     What
was it meant for?

Okorie:          
(Stammers)….I collected the money, I did not mean to sell her.

Police PRO:     Did
you tell Ugochi’s mother before taking her to Libya?

Okorie:           No,
I didn’t tell her.

Police PRO:     Why
did you lie to Ugochi that you told her mother you were taking her to Libya?

Okorie:          
(Stammers…) Daniel said I should lie to her (Precious).

Police PRO:     The
girl’s mother is your cousin, the time Ugochi was missing, you were aware, why
didn’t you tell her her daughter’s whereabouts when you saw her?

Okorie:           Sir,
I am very sorry.

Police PRO:     Did
Okorie tell you that Ugochi was missing and her parents were looking for her?

Njoku:             No,
he didn’t tell me they were looking for her.

Police PRO:    
Okorie, did you tell him or not that they were looking for her?

Okorie:           I
told him

Njoku:             Can
we swear about that?

Nwosu said the suspects would soon be taken to court, adding
that the police had already arraigned three other suspects earlier arrested in
connection with the abduction.

They are Innocent Onyekwe (38), Ugwu Maduabuchi (37) and
Christian Chima (19).

Punch