2000 Nigerian girls and Malians caught in the web
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
More than 2,000 trafficked Nigerian girls are stranded in Mali, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has disclosed.
NAPTIP Benin Zone Commander Nduka Nwanwene said Nigerian and Malian girls are being trafficked from Mali to Edo in Nigeria for prostitution.
He raised the alarm at the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Benin with the theme, “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind”.
“We just gathered intelligence that traffickers are bringing in young girls from Mali to Benin for prostitution; we are investigating. But many Nigerians, especially young girls, are stranded in Mali; over 20,000 Nigerian girls are stranded in Mali.
“Mali used to be a destination for girls trafficked from Nigeria but now the reverse is the case as Mali girls are being trafficked into Benin City for prostitution,” Nwanwene said, per The PUNCH.
He gave an assurance the NAPTIP is making progress in the conviction of high profile traffickers, sustained evidence-based rehabilitation, and empowerment of survivors.
He urged stakeholders to galvanise support to tackle human trafficking and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
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NAPTIP rescues 19,000 trafficked persons, secures conviction of 32 traffickers
The NAPTIP announced in May that it rescued 19,000 persons and secured the conviction of 32 traffickers in court in the first five months of 2023.
NAPTIP Director of Intelligence and Public Enlightenment, Josiah Emerole, gave the figures in Abuja at a national learning, experience sharing and policy brief dissemination on combating human trafficking and unsafe migration.
The event was organised by Women Aid Collective (WACOL) with the support of the Swiss Government, managed by its Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).
“Between January and May 2023, NAPTIP secured the conviction of 32 persons for various offenses related to human trafficking. This is in addition to the no fewer than 19,000 persons rescued by the agency since its inception,” Emerole said.
Former Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) Controller General, Muhammad Babandede, identified bad governance as a major driver of illegal migration and human trafficking.
“Human trafficking is not only a matter of crime. Governance is a major issue. The issue of bad governance is the underlying factor that promotes illegal migration and trafficking,” he stressed.
“It is important to address this issue if we want to effectively combat human trafficking and unsafe migration.”