Seven Nigerian girls from Plateau, Cross River and Edo States have been rescued from suspected human trafficking networks operating in Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the President of Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation, Prosper Michael, the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation, which facilitated the return of the trafficked girls, said the rescue operation was carried out in conjunction with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The statement said the survivors were received by Nigerian authorities after returning from the West African countries, where they said they were subjected to exploitation after being promised legitimate employment opportunities.
Speaking after their rescue, 22-year-old Sandy Sophia from Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, said she travelled believing she would secure a decent job abroad.
“I asked countless times if it was prostitution, and they kept telling me it was not. It was only after we reached Burkina Faso that they finally admitted it was prostitution,” she said.
Another survivor, Rose, 19, a graduate of Plateau State Polytechnic, said she hoped to earn money to support her education and family.
“I was told I would be selling in a boutique and helping with cooking. My mother was initially reluctant to allow me to travel because of stories about girls being trafficked abroad, but I was assured it was genuine work.
“When we arrived in Mali, we discovered it was prostitution,” she said.
According to the victims, recruiters promised them jobs in boutiques, restaurants, phone accessory shops, domestic services and other businesses.
However, they said they were later informed they would be required to engage in commercial sex work and repay debts running into millions of CFA francs.
The survivors also claimed they faced threats and intimidation whenever they resisted or requested to return home.
One of the rescued victims, 17-year-old Esther, said she was recruited while working in Lagos after being promised a domestic service job.
She explained that she eventually escaped with the assistance of a Nigerian resident in Mali, who helped several of the girls return home.
Another 17-year-old victim from Cross River State said she and her sister were recruited with promises of employment opportunities abroad, but later discovered that the jobs did not exist.
The girls told authorities that many other Nigerian women remain in similar conditions across Mali, Burkina Faso and other African countries.
During the handover of some of the rescued victims to community leaders from Plateau State, the President of the Birom Community Association in Lagos, Julius Bodiacubb, expressed concern over the growing incidence of human trafficking involving young women.
He called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, communities and civil society organisations to curb the menace and protect vulnerable youths from exploitation.
Meanwhile, two young women from Edo State, identified as Augusta and Elizabeth, also recounted their experiences after being rescued from Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire.
Augusta, 20, from Owan area of Edo State, said she travelled in February 2026 after being convinced that she would find better opportunities abroad.
“Upon arrival, I realised the work was not what I had been told. When I refused, I was assaulted and pressured to recruit other girls, including my sister,” she said.
She added that she was informed she owed about 1.5 million CFA francs but was never given a clear account of her earnings or repayments.
Elizabeth said she accompanied Augusta after being promised legitimate employment in Côte d’Ivoire.
“When we arrived, we discovered the jobs did not exist. We were expected to engage in activities we never agreed to before leaving Nigeria,” she said.
Both women described their living conditions as difficult and said they eventually sought help after realising they were trapped in a cycle of exploitation and debt bondage.
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The statement said the rescue operation was facilitated by GAHTO, following a request from NAPTIP’s Benin Zonal Command, adding that the two Edo State victims were officially received by NAPTIP officials upon their arrival in Nigeria.
GAHTO reiterated its commitment to combating human trafficking and supporting vulnerable Nigerians trapped in exploitation networks across Africa and beyond.
The organisation urged young Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad to verify job offers and migration arrangements thoroughly before travelling.
“We call on families and communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious recruitment activities to relevant authorities, while the rescued victims appealed for intensified efforts to dismantle trafficking networks operating within and outside Nigeria,” the statement added.
