A collaborative effort between the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar and an NGO has led to the rescue of 24 Nigerian girls from sexual exploitation in Senegal’s Tamaccounda and Kedougou regions.
The Acting Ambassador of the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar, Salihu Abubakar, revealed this information to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, June 23, 2024.
According to him, the victims, primarily girls and young women aged 11 to 24, with a significant number being underage, were trafficked to Senegal through Cotonou, Benin Republic, and across the Mali-Senegal border for the purpose of sexual exploitation.
“These girls, among many others, were trafficked to Senegal via Cotonou, Benin Republic, passing through Mali to the Senegal border for prostitution,” explained Abubakar.
Initial investigations suggest that most of these girls and women had dropped out of school, originating from Edo and Delta states, with a few others from Imo, Abia, and two from Plateau.
Abubakar confirmed that out of the 24 girls and women, 22 had been repatriated several weeks ago, while the remaining two returned safely to Nigeria on Saturday.
The health conditions of the victims and specific details about the duration of their exploitation have not been disclosed.
Nevertheless, the diplomat underscored that the successful repatriation underscores the robust international cooperation between the embassy and the NGO “Free the Slaves” (La Lumiere in French) in the fight against human trafficking.
“Our primary objective and foremost priority is to deter the trafficking of Nigerian girls to any part of the world for prostitution under any pretext,” Abubakar emphasized.
