The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on Tuesday, confirmed the rescue of five Benue girls trafficked to Cote D’Ivoire, for prostitution.
Confirming the incident in Makurdi, Mrs Gloria Bai, NAPTIP Zonal Commander, Makurdi Zonal Office said the girls had been rescued and were currently with the Nigerian Embassy in Cote D’Ivoire.
The zonal commander said the attention of the agency was called on Monday to a group of girls rescued in Cote D’Ivoire.
“We have seen the girls and the video. The girls are there in Cote D’Ivoire. For now there are five of them and we have spoken to them yesterday and they are safe at the Nigerian Embassy in Cote D’Ivoire.
“As at this morning, arrangements are being made for them to be brought back to the country and we are monitoring the situation to ensure that they are brought back safely and handed over to us,” she said.
The Zonal Commander said the agency had started investigation on the case.
She also informed that the woman mentioned by the girls as being responsible for their predicament had also been arrested.
“She was picked up yesterday and is right now with the Nigerian Police Force in Kwande.
“We are also working with the police to see that we also have audience with her to see her involvement,” she said.
Bai, who described the case as a rude shock, regretted that the video was being shared on the social media thereby exposing the identities of the girls.
“This is like another rude awakening. It’s unfortunate that the video went viral because the identities of the girls have been exposed as it’s being shared all over the social media.
“It is also a call for us that we shouldn’t be in denial that our girls are being taken out everyday to African countries for all sorts of exploitation.”
She said they were looking forward to meeting the girls to profile them and know the exact circumstances that led to them being in that country.
Also the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Sewuese Anene, told NAN that the woman who allegedly masterminded their trip to Cote d’Ivoire in Kwande was in their custody.
Anene said the suspect would be brought to the Police headquarters on Wednesday for further investigation.
The video showed that the girls were between 17 year and 21 years of age and spoke Tiv language fluently.
In the video, the girls said they were deceived into traveling to Cote d’Ivoire that they would be given jobs.
“We all came four of us but it was one person that sold us all. The lady is at home (Kwande). She connects with another lady here in Cote d’Ivoire and share the money they sold us for. We were sold for N400,000 each.
“We are here for three weeks so far. The only one who is the youngest was sold to another place. She is 14 years old and we haven’t seen her.
“We were told that we were coming to work but after the work we will refund the cost of our transportation. That our salary would be N50,000 and we will pay N70,000 as the transportation.
“We agreed because we know within two months we will pay the N70,000.
“Within three weeks, different men were having sex with us. Each round is 2000 CFA (N4,000).” (NAN).
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