A Nigerian woman, Sandra Okon, originally from Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by the Boundiali Court in Côte d’Ivoire for her involvement in human trafficking.
The conviction follows the rescue of four young girls from Akwa Ibom, who were trafficked to Mali and forced into sexual exploitation.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO), led the rescue mission.
Mr. Emmanuel Awhen, NAPTIP’s Uyo Zonal Commander, shared details of the operation during a press briefing, highlighting the challenges in combating cross-border trafficking networks.
“These young women endured serious hardship, but thanks to the swift intervention of NAPTIP and GAHTO, they are now safe and receiving the necessary support and counselling to help them reintegrate into society,” Awhen stated.
The girls’ rescue was made possible after one of them had the contact information of a NAPTIP official.
She used someone else’s phone to alert authorities to their situation.
“Acting on this information, we launched an operation with the support of GAHTO to rescue the girls and reunite them with their families in Akwa Ibom,” Awhen explained.
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“They had been misled and trafficked to Mali under the pretense of working in a supermarket and salon but ended up subjected to forced labor and sexual exploitation. Thankfully, one of the girls had our number and called using another person’s phone.
“She also sent multiple voice notes, which helped us coordinate with our international partners to secure their safe return to Akwa Ibom,” Awhen further explained.
The rescued girls revealed that over 50 other young women from Akwa Ibom are still in Mali, trapped in forced prostitution.
Awhen also mentioned that the agency recently secured the conviction of a trafficker who specialized in recruiting girls from Nigeria to Mali and Côte d’Ivoire for sexual exploitation.
Awhen urged parents and guardians to be vigilant against individuals offering better opportunities abroad and called on the state government and stakeholders to support the ongoing fight against human trafficking.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
