According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, nearly 2,000 trafficked Nigerian females are currently stranded in Mali.
Nduka Nwanwene, the Benin Zone Commander of NAPTIP, who revealed this, also stated that the agency received intelligence that females from Mali were being smuggled to Edo State for prostitution.
Nwanwene spoke at the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, which was held in Benin under 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’re looking into it,” he stated. However, many Nigerians, particularly young females, are stranded in Mali.
“Mali was once a destination for girls trafficked from Nigeria, but now it’s the other way around, with Mali girls being trafficked into Benin City for prostitution.”
Nwanwene also stated that NAPTIP, led by Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, was making headway in the areas of high-profile trafficker convictions, sustained evidence-based rehabilitation, and survivor empowerment.
He urged stakeholders to rally behind efforts to combat human trafficking and help the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
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