The Nigerian Embassy and the Senegalese NGO “Free the Slaves” (La Lumiere in French) have rescued 24 Nigerian girls from sexual exploitation in the Tamaccounda and Kedougou regions of Senegal. The acting Ambassador of the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar, Salihu Abubakar, announced this on Sunday.
The rescued girls, mostly underage and ranging from 11 to 24 years old, were trafficked through Cotonou, Republic of Benin, via the Mali-Senegal border. “These girls and many more are being trafficked to Senegal for prostitution,” Abubakar revealed.
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Preliminary investigations showed that most of the girls were school dropouts from Edo and Delta states, with a few from Imo and Abia states and two from Plateau state.
Out of the 24 rescued girls, 22 were repatriated to Nigeria weeks ago, while the remaining two returned safely on Saturday.
Details regarding the health status of the victims and the duration of their exploitation were not immediately available.
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However, Abubakar emphasized that the successful rescue and repatriation highlight strengthened international cooperation in combating human trafficking.
“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 guise,” Abubakar stated.
The operation reflects ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable individuals from human trafficking and ensure their safe return home.