*It’s human trafficking, Judge Ghassan Aouidat
By John Okeke and Ralph Ezepue (with agency reports by News Digest.com)
A Lebanese male national, Wael Jerro, has been taken in custody for advertising a Nigerian lady for sale on Facebook.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) confirmed this in a tweet Thursday, a day after Lebanese authorities condemned the incident.
NIDCOM noted that following the Facebook post by the suspect, the Nigerian Mission in Lebanon swung into action, making necessary diplomatic contact that led to his arrest.
A Nigerian international passport said to have been obtained from the victim in May 2018 revealed that she hails from Ibadan, Oyo State.
Diaspora Commission said the case was reported to the Lebanese authorities, while a manhunt was launched to apprehend the suspect.
According to it, the Lebanese Ministry of Labour had issued a statement in which it said Jerro’s action was completely unethical and in contravention of the country’s laws.
It added that the Lebanese government announced the arrest of Mr. WAEL JERRO for onward prosecution against criminal sale of a human being, a young Nigerian girl.
The tweet by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission
@nidcom_gov reads:
“UPDATE!!
Update on the Lebanese, Wael Jerro, who advertised a Nigerian woman for sale on Facebook
“As we reported yesterday (Wednesday), a manhunt is on for the Lebanese, Wael Jaro who put a Nigerian girl on sale in a Facebook post.
@NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG”
A concerned Nigerian, Prince Michael Akubueze, the Chairman and founder of Asaigbo Foundation, had contacted The AUTHORITY Wednesday asking that we investigate this matter.
He forwarded correspondences between him and a concerned citizen “Miss Europe Beauty Pageant” over the matter, saying it will be nice to do an investigative report on the matter.
The correspondences between him and the “Pageant” reads:
” Asaigbo 1: Hi bro
“Asaigbo 1: Can you imagine what your brothers are doing to my people?
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: Hi, yes we read here about this and he is arrested this person, really a stupid guy is, anyway my friend a person from Lebanon not represent all the country and also in contrary a Nigerian person not representing his country for any post against Lebanon
‘Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: Here all the respect for Nigeria and his population from many many years.
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: These are not my brothers sure.
“Asaigbo 1: Well said bro.
I believe you.
“Asaigbo 1: How are you?
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: Please very very important this Wael Jerro name is Not Lebanese
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: He is Syrian
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: Lebanese not related to this story
“Asaigbo 1: Okay
“Asaigbo 1: Has he been arrested ?
“Asaigbo 1: How can Interpol arrest him?
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: توقيف صاحب إعلان “العاملة النيجيرية” – https://www.lebanondebate.com/m3/news/478378
“Asaigbo 1: I don’t understand Arabic
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: The arrest of the owner of the “Nigerian worker” advertisement
“The General Directorate of General Security indicated in a statement that “in the context of following up on a person posting an advertisement on social media sites in which a Nigerian woman working for him in the domestic service is offered for sale, and as a result of investigations and investigations, the General Directorate of Public Security arrested the owner of the Syrian advertisement (W.C. ) And the investigation is on-going with the supervision of the competent judiciary. ”
“The Directorate General asked “those who use foreign persons in any field whatsoever to publish any ads by any means related to these workers that are not permitted by Lebanese laws, especially advertisements to sell them as they fall within the framework of the crime of human trafficking and the publisher is subject to prosecution.”
“Today, the discriminatory Attorney General, Judge Ghassan Aouidat, assigned the Central Investigation Department to investigate the case of the Nigerian domestic worker whose employer “WJ” has offered for sale on his Facebook page
“The arrest of the owner of the “Nigerian worker”
“Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: He is Syrian not Lebanese
Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: Please inform ur friends
Miss Europe Beauty Pageant: Is a scoop news for ur medias cause all they wrote he is Lebanese but he is not
“Asaigbo 1: Ok”
