The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has successfully rescued four girls trafficked from Akwa Ibom to Mali, where they were being exploited.
NAPTIP’s Uyo Zonal Commander, Emmanuel Awhen, confirmed the rescue in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. Awhen explained that the operation was carried out in partnership with the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO), which works alongside NAPTIP in Mali.
Awhen noted that one of the girls was able to reach a NAPTIP official using a borrowed phone to report their situation. “Upon receiving the information, we collaborated with GAHTO to secure their release and safely return them to their families in Akwa Ibom,” he said.
The girls were initially lured with false promises of employment in a supermarket and salon, only to find themselves in forced labor and sexual exploitation. Thankfully, one of the victims retained a NAPTIP contact and was able to send voice messages, which helped facilitate their rescue through international partners.
The rescued girls also reported that over 50 young women from Akwa Ibom remain in Mali under similar conditions. Recently, NAPTIP secured a conviction against one trafficker involved in recruiting girls for sex slavery in Mali and Cote d’Ivoire.
Awhen appealed to parents to be cautious of individuals offering their children enticing but suspicious opportunities and called on the Akwa Ibom State Government and other stakeholders for continued support in combating human trafficking. He also encouraged victims and the public to reach out to NAPTIP through its helplines: 08069539747, 08023574406, and 08035961835.