Seventy-eight Nigerians who were victims of human trafficking have been rescued from Cote D’Ivoire and returned to the country. The group, which includes 73 women, two men, and three infants, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos around 11:00 p.m. on Saturday.
They were received by Binta Adamu Bello, Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). She described the return as a significant milestone in the agency’s ongoing battle against human trafficking.
Bello welcomed the returnees, offering them reassurance and support. She emphasized that their survival and return represent hope for countless others still in captivity, and a warning to traffickers that Nigeria remains committed to justice.
According to Bello, some of those responsible for trafficking the victims have been arrested and will face legal consequences. She added that NAPTIP would begin profiling the survivors and offer them counseling and vocational training.
She thanked the Nigerian government for its continued support, which she said had been crucial in enabling NAPTIP to fulfill its mandate. Bello also expressed gratitude to Air Peace for flying the victims home free of charge and commended both local and international partners for their cooperation.
She urged the public to stay alert, report suspected trafficking, and raise awareness about the issue.
One of the victims, a 24-year-old pregnant woman, said she was tricked by a friend who claimed to own a supermarket and promised her a job that would pay N300,000 per month. Her travel expenses were covered, but on arrival, she discovered there was no job. The friend claimed she had spent N3 million to bring her over and insisted she repay the debt through prostitution. The woman said she was threatened with violence and witchcraft, which forced her into sex work. She is now four months pregnant and says she needs help caring for herself and her unborn child.
Another victim, a 17-year-old girl, said a woman lured her and six other girls with promises of restaurant work and a salary of 1.5 million CFA. They were told not to inform their families. Upon arrival, they were abandoned in a forest, where men came to pick them up for sex. She said she was forced into multiple abortions and was subjected to long-term birth control. Some of her companions, she said, were killed or disappeared.
