The National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), on Saturday, announced the rescue of ten Nigerian girls, who had been forced to work as commercial sex workers in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
The girls, who arrived Abuja in two batches, hail from Edo, Delta, Rivers and Benue states respectively, with Edo topping the list with six girls.
Orakwe Arinze, the Head Media and Communication (NAPTIP), speaking in Abuja, revealed that the rescued victims were already undergoing medical screening and counselling with NAPTIP operatives, after which they would commence rehabilitation.
Beatrice Jedy-Agba, the Executive Secretary of NAPTIP, revealed that the rescue operation was carried out based on a tip-off that several Nigerian girls were in sex bondage in Cote d’Ivoire.
Jedy-Agba said the operation was done in collaboration with the regional bureau office of Interpol in Abidjan, and an Abidjan based Non-Governmental Organisation, Family Essan for Protection and
Promotion of Human Rights (FEPDH).
While receiving the girls at the NAPTIP Headquarters, Abuja, she expressed concern about the growing tide of human trafficking for prostitution and hard labour, in spite of the efforts of the agency to curb it.
She urged for more intelligence sharing, co-operation and collaboration between West African law enforcement agencies on trafficking in persons.
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