The Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, said the agency has rescued three trafficked girls from Ivory Coast.
NAPTIP Commander in charge of the zone, Barrister Nduka Nwanwenene, disclosed this in Benin at a baseline revalidation workshop for STEAP implementation in Edo schools of human trafficking.
Nwanwenene, said the three rescued victims are currently in the agency’s shelter in Benin City.
According to him, “three days ago, three girls that were rescued from Ivory Coast arrived at our shelter. Many survivors have stayed in our shelter, they will stay for about six weeks, depending on the particular case.
“There was a lady we rescued from Mali, she was there for 10 years before she was rescued. She was in our shelter and has been reunited with her family.
“A business has been opened for her through our partners International Organisation for Migration, IOM,” he said.
He, however, explained that the agency is working with many stakeholders, specially the Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS,.
He said the NIS who are at the Nigeria border, whenever they intercepted victims of human trafficking they informed the agency.
Nwanwenene, disclosed that the agency tried as much as possible to engage survivors in productive activities, noting that once they are engaged, they are less likely to be recruited for trafficking.
The Benin Zonal Commander added that last month, the agency empowered three survivors, while 15 survivors, who are currently undergoing training at the shelter, would also be empowered after rounding off their programme in the next six months.
