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Nigerian authorities have repatriated 78 citizens—mostly women and girls—from Ivory Coast after rescuing them from human trafficking syndicates that exploit Nigerian girls across the globe.
In a statement released Sunday, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the victims included 75 females between the ages of 13 and 30, three babies, and two men. Four of the girls, many of whom are underage, were found to be pregnant.
All of the repatriated victims showed signs of malnourishment, physical abuse and trauma, NAPTIP said.
The rescue operation also led to the arrest of two suspected traffickers in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. The suspects were identified based on disclosures from some of the victims and were later apprehended in what officials described as a “high-wired” mansion. Authorities did not release further details about the trafficking network.
“[The traffickers] will face the full force of the law," said NAPTIP Director General Binta Adamu Bello. She added that a “serious manhunt” has been launched for other members of the trafficking syndicate.
The operation followed an alert by Nigerian activist Vincent Otse—also known as VeryDarkMan—who raised concerns during a visit to Ivory Coast after learning of trafficked girls who had reached out for help. Some of the girls were allegedly forced into prostitution after being lured abroad with false promises of job opportunities.
Their testimonies revealed that traffickers deceived them into traveling to Ivory Coast, only to exploit them sexually upon arrival.
The latest rescue highlights ongoing efforts by Nigerian authorities to combat human trafficking. Just last week, authorities arrested an Interpol-wanted human trafficker for allegedly smuggling Nigerian women and minors to Italy, where they were reportedly sold for sexual exploitation and forced to repay debts ranging from 20,000 euros to 50,000 euros ($22,220 to $55,548).
Nigeria remains a key source, transit and destination country in the global human trafficking crisis. In 2022, Nigerian nationals made up the highest number of human trafficking victims recorded by the European Union.
