About 24 Nigerian girls have been rescued from sexual exploitation by the combined operatives of the Nigerian Embassy and a Senegalese-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) in the Tamaccounda and Kedougou Regions of Senegal, News About Nigeria reports.
The acting Ambassador of the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, Salihu Abubakar, disclosed this to newsmen in Dakar on Sunday.
He noted that the girls were subjected to sexual exploitation in Senegal, adding that the girls, mostly under-aged and ranging between the ages of 11, 13, and 24, are being trafficked to Senegal through Cotonou, Republic of Benin, via the Mali-Senegal border for sexual exploitation in Tamaccounda and Kedougou Regions.
He stated that after a brief investigation, it was discovered that most of the girls who were school dropouts were from Edo and Delta, adding that a few of them were from Imo and Abia, while two others were from Plateau.
He, however, noted that out of the 24 girls, 22 were already repatriated weeks ago, while the two other ladies were repatriated to Nigeria on Saturday and have landed in Nigeria safely.
“These girls and many more are being trafficked to Senegal through Cotonou, Benin Republic, via Mali, to the Senegal border for prostitution,” the diplomat said.
“The successful repatriation of the girls to Nigeria is a clear indication of the strengthened international cooperation in combating human trafficking between the embassy and the Senegalese-based NGO, “Free the Slaves” (La Lumiere in French).
“Our main goal and number one priority is to discourage the trafficking of our Nigerian girls to any part of the world for prostitution under any disguise,” he stated.
