No fewer than 25 underage girls have been rescued from a hotel in Aguleri, Anambra East Local Government Area, following allegations of trafficking and sexual exploitation.

In a video circulating online, reportedly recorded by a resident of the community, the girls said they were brought into Anambra State from Ebonyi and other parts of the country under false promises of employment, only to be forced into prostitution.

Some of the victims claimed they were trafficked by individuals they referred to as their “madam,” who allegedly brought girls from states including Akwa Ibom, Abia, and Niger.

One of the survivors, a 14-year-old identified as Divine, said she was approached in Abakaliki alongside her cousin and a friend by a woman who offered to help them secure jobs in Anambra State. According to her, they agreed to travel in hopes of supporting their families financially, only to later discover the true nature of the work.

She explained that when they refused to comply, they were told they would have to work to repay the cost of transportation. Divine added that several attempts to escape were unsuccessful, as they were allegedly restrained and forced to remain at the location.

Divine’s mother disclosed that her daughter had been missing since October 2025 and was only traced to Aguleri before the matter was reported to community authorities. The other two girls who travelled with her reportedly gave their ages as 15 and 19.

Additional victims said they were similarly lured from different locations by older women who promised them legitimate jobs.

A narrator in the viral video alleged that the girls were housed at Morning Star Hotel, where they were exploited, with proceeds allegedly collected by their handlers.

As of the time of filing this report, the Anambra State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement confirming the incident.