Italy Most Wanted Criminal Extradited
Among the few female criminals on Italy’s top 100 most wanted list was a 48-year-old Nigerian lady named Jeff Joy. She was repatriated to Italy.
Joy played a key role in the smuggling of Nigerian girls to Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain where they were forced into prostitution. Joy had been on the list of the 100 most dangerous fugitives since 2010.
Reports claim that she used threats and acts of violence to control her victims.
Joy had been wanted since 2010 on suspicion of criminal conspiracy, enslavement, human trafficking, prostitution exploitation, and other crimes. The Italian authorities had convicted her in her absence and sentenced her to 13 years in prison.
The strong cooperation between the two nations, with the Italian Immigration specialist supporting the local police forces, made the extradition effective.
Since it was the first instance since the extradition pact went into effect in 2020, the extradition represents a special development for Italy and Nigeria.
The procedure began right away after her detention on June 4, 2022, in Nigeria by local intelligence agencies. On February 10, the Italian ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stefano De Leo, was informed by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, that Jeff Joy would be turned over.
The incident provides important evidence of how Africa is gaining influence in the hunt for wanted individuals and the fight against organized crime. By establishing legal and administrative procedures to locate Mafia assets for confiscation, it also demonstrates Italy’s resolve to exert dominance on a global scale.
Vittorio Rizzi, the central director of the police, also voiced his excitement at this development.
“Today, Africa has been recognized as a key region for the hunt for wanted individuals and the fight against organized crime. Italy is committed to facilitating, through penal and administrative instruments, the tracing of the illicit assets of the mafias for their seizure and confiscation, according to Italian news media, agenzianova. Developing African nations also serve as attractive locations for the laundering of the illicit capital of organized crime.”
