Mali
Girls stranded in mali. According to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, nearly 2,000 trafficked Nigerian females are currently stranded in Mali.
Nduka Nwanwene, the Benin Zone Commander of NAPTIP, who revealed this, also stated that the agency received intelligence that females from Mali were being smuggled to Edo State for prostitution.
Nwanwene spoke during the 2023 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in Benin, with the theme “Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind.”
He said, “We just gathered intelligence that traffickers are bringing in young ladies from Mali to Benin for prostitution; we are investigating. But many Nigerians, especially young girls, are stranded in Mali; over 20,000 Nigerian girls are stranded in Mali.
“Mali used to be a destination for girls trafficked from Nigeria but now the reverse is the case as Mali girls are being trafficked into Benin City for prostitution.”
Nwanwene stated that NAPTIP, led by Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, was making strides in the areas of high-profile trafficker convictions, sustained evidence-based rehabilitation, and survivor empowerment.
He called on stakeholders to galvanise support towards addressing the menace of human trafficking and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.