Four girls from Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, including a 14-year-old minor, have been rescued from suspected human traffickers in Morila, Mali, following a joint intervention by the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The victims were reportedly lured to Mali with promises of employment in gold mines and shops but were allegedly forced into prostitution, according to a statement issued on Monday by GAHTO founder, Prosper Michael.
Michael said the rescue followed a distress message sent by one of the victims through WhatsApp after she used artificial intelligence (AI) to seek help.
He explained that the alert was received by Geoffrey, Head of Operations at NAPTIP’s Uyo Command, who subsequently contacted him to facilitate the rescue.
Michael said he reached out to one of the victims and collaborated with a Nigerian community leader in Mali to secure their freedom and facilitate their return.
Recounting her experience, one of the survivors, Sekinat, a 23-year-old auxiliary nurse, said she was lured to Mali by her mother’s friend, who promised to secure her a legitimate job.
“I started the journey on October 14 and got there on October 19. When I got there, she collected my phone and ID cards. She later told me that the work they do here is prostitution. I thought it was a joke,” she said.
Sekinat alleged that the trafficker threatened to sell or kill any of the girls who refused to engage in prostitution.
She further claimed that the woman collected CFA2.5 million to facilitate their journey to Mali but instructed them to tell embassy officials that she had spent CFA1.5 million bringing them into the country.
According to her, the victims eventually obtained a concealed mobile phone and turned to AI-powered assistance on WhatsApp after an earlier attempt to contact a Nigerian Army officer proved unsuccessful.
“We sent him our pictures, our madam’s number and her name and the name of the area. We were four in number,” she said.
Geoffrey recounted that the distress message from one of the victims read: “I am a Nigerian girl, trapped in Mali. My madam seized my passport and asked me to go and be doing hook-up. Please, our life is in danger.”
He said the victim explained that AI had provided his contact details after she searched for ways to get help.
Geoffrey described the discovery that a 14-year-old girl was among the victims as particularly disturbing, saying the revelation prompted an emotional reaction during her interview.
“How can he send a child of 14 years? Irrespective of the work she wants to go and do there, it is abuse. It is child abuse,” he said, referring to the minor’s father, who reportedly approved her trip.
Meanwhile, Michael expressed concern over the increasing cases of Nigerians being trafficked abroad, stressing the need for sustained intervention to rescue victims.
“Our people are crying for rescue every day and we must be there for them,” he said.
The rescue team appealed to Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Kogi State Government to provide the survivors with medical attention, psychological counselling and educational support.
They also called on relevant authorities to investigate the alleged trafficking network, identify those involved and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
