NAPTIP Rescues Four Girls Trafficked From Akwa Ibom To Mali.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has successfully rescued four young girls who were trafficked from Akwa Ibom to Mali for sexual exploitation. This operation, carried out with the assistance of the Global Anti-human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO), has reunited the girls with their families in Nigeria.
Mr Emmanuel Awhen, the Uyo Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, shared details of the rescue mission in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. Awhen explained that one of the girls managed to reach out to NAPTIP using a borrowed phone, providing critical information that allowed the agency and GAHTO to coordinate a swift intervention.
“Acting on the information, we swung into action,” Awhen said. “In collaboration with GAHTO, we rescued the girls and returned them safely to Akwa Ibom. They were deceived with promises of legitimate jobs in a supermarket and salon but ended up subjected to forced labour and sexual exploitation in Mali.”
According to Awhen, the girls reported that over 50 more young women from Akwa Ibom remain in Mali, facing similar conditions. NAPTIP has been actively working on cases like this, recently securing the conviction of a human trafficker who was involved in recruiting young girls for sex slavery in Mali and Côte d’Ivoire.
Awhen appealed to parents and guardians to remain vigilant, urging them to be cautious of individuals offering seemingly attractive opportunities abroad. He also called on the Akwa Ibom State Government and other stakeholders to support the agency’s efforts to combat human trafficking.
For those in need of assistance or with information about trafficking cases, NAPTIP can be reached through their helpline numbers: 08069539747, 08023574406, and 08035961835.
