Delta State Police Command has uncovered and dismantled a suspected torture apartment operating under the guise of Hustlers Kingdom (HK), where seven young boys were reportedly held against their will and subjected to severe physical abuse in the name of “learning yahoo yahoo,” a local term for internet fraud.
Ejes Gist News reports that the operation followed a tip-off from one of the victims, a 28-year-old identified as Chukwuike, who escaped by jumping from a window to seek help from authorities.
Victims’ Accounts Reveal Brutality
Chukwuike, who had reportedly spent two months and one day in the apartment, described extreme mistreatment. “We don’t eat. Sometimes, we eat once in a day and then stay four days again without food. We don’t have access to our phones.
Anytime we tell the chairman that we want to go, he beats us with cane and refuses to let us leave. That was why I jumped from the window to report to the Police. The marks on my back were done by my chairman because we didn’t have a paying client,” he recounted.
Another victim, a 23-year-old from Benue State, said he had been held for only one month but was prevented from leaving despite informing the “chairman” on his first day that he wanted to return home.
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SP Bright Edafe, Delta Police spokesperson, confirmed that the boys were routinely flogged, leaving deep wounds. “You need to see the boy’s back,” he said, emphasizing the severity of the abuse.
Police Operation and Arrests
Acting swiftly on the tip-off, operatives of the Delta State Police Command raided the apartment, rescuing all seven victims. Two suspects, who identified themselves as the “chairmen” of the HK ring, were arrested during the operation.
The victims are now receiving medical attention, while the suspects remain in police custody pending investigation. Authorities said they will be charged with offences including human trafficking, unlawful detention, physical assault, and exploitation.
Warnings to Parents and Communities
SP Edafe urged parents, guardians, and young Nigerians to remain vigilant against the growing proliferation of HK-style criminal hideouts. He stressed that the Police Command will continue to raid and dismantle such operations across the state to protect vulnerable youths.
“The Delta State Police Command is committed to intensifying its crackdown on syndicates preying on our youth. Our primary focus is safeguarding the welfare of children and young adults who are at risk of exploitation,” Edafe added.
Ejes Gist News gathered that the investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to identify other similar networks across Delta State.
