The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has rescued four young girls trafficked from Akwa Ibom State to Mali, where they were being exploited for sexual purposes.
This is as a Nigerian human trafficker, Sandra Okon, originally from Akwa Ibom, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Boundiali Court in Côte d’Ivoire.
The rescue operation was executed in partnership with the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO), a key collaborator of NAPTIP based in Mali, according to NAPTIP’s Uyo Zonal Commander, Mr. Emmanuel Awhen.
Commander Awhen revealed details of the rescue during a press briefing in Uyo on Tuesday, stating the challenges faced by authorities in tracking cross-border human trafficking networks.
“These young women endured serious hardship, but thanks to the swift intervention of NAPTIP and GAHTO, they are now safe and receiving the necessary support and counselling to help them reintegrate into society,” Awhen stated.
Meanwhile, Nigerian human trafficker, Sandra Okon was sentenced to 12 years in prison last month by the Boundiali Court in Côte d’Ivoire.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Awhen stated the girls were fortunate because one of them had the contact number of a NAPTIP official. She managed to use someone’s phone to reach the officer, alerting them to their situation in Mali.
“Acting on this information, we launched an operation with the support of GAHTO to rescue the girls and reunite them with their families in Akwa Ibom,” he explained.
“They had been misled and trafficked to Mali under the pretense of working in a supermarket and salon but ended up subjected to forced labor and sexual exploitation. Thankfully, one of the girls had our number and called using another person’s phone.”
“She also sent multiple voice notes, which helped us coordinate with our international partners to secure their safe return to Akwa Ibom,” Awhen added.
The rescued girls informed officials that over 50 other young women from the state remain in Mali, engaged in forced prostitution.
Awhen highlighted that the agency recently secured the conviction of a trafficker who specialized in recruiting young girls from Nigeria to Mali and Côte d’Ivoire for sexual exploitation.
He urged parents and guardians to be vigilant against individuals promising better opportunities abroad and called on the state government and stakeholders to support the fight against human trafficking.