According to information at the disposal of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), over 2,000 trafficked Nigerian girls are currently stranded in Mali.
Nduka Nwanwene, the NAPTIP Benin Zone Commander who made this disclosure, also stated that the organisation has information that Malian girls are being transported to Edo State for prostitution.
The theme of the 2023 World Day Against Human Trafficking in Benin was “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind.” During the event, Nwanwene gave a speech.
“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 the girls are being trafficked into Benin City for prostitution,” Nwanwene said.
He claimed that NAPTIP, led by Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, was making progress in the areas of evidence-based rehabilitation, conviction of high-profile traffickers, and survivor empowerment.
He urged all parties to join forces in combating the threat of human trafficking and assisting in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
