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| Nigerian school girls |
Saving Nigerian
girls from sex slavery
By Ifeanyi Nwoko
There were
startling revelations recently on how Nigerian girls were used as sex slaves in
some West African countries. The Director-General of National Agency for the
Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, let the cat
out of the bag when she said that over 20,000 Nigerians girls were in Mali
working as sex slaves.
startling revelations recently on how Nigerian girls were used as sex slaves in
some West African countries. The Director-General of National Agency for the
Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Julie Okah-Donli, let the cat
out of the bag when she said that over 20,000 Nigerians girls were in Mali
working as sex slaves.
Nigerian
Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ramatu Ahmed, re-echoed that over 10,000 Nigerian
girls were working as sex slaves in that country.
Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ramatu Ahmed, re-echoed that over 10,000 Nigerian
girls were working as sex slaves in that country.
Those who
commented on the issue decried the resurgence of slavery, in another guise,
that was abolished in 1833, via the Slavery Abolition Act, and stressed that
urgent measures must be taken to tackle this menace headlong.
commented on the issue decried the resurgence of slavery, in another guise,
that was abolished in 1833, via the Slavery Abolition Act, and stressed that
urgent measures must be taken to tackle this menace headlong.
In December 2018,
Okah-Donli disclosed that over 20,000 Nigerian girls were in Mali working as
sex slaves.
Okah-Donli disclosed that over 20,000 Nigerian girls were in Mali working as
sex slaves.
Addressing the
ECOWAS Parliament, she said that the girls were sold for between N210,000 and
N240,000, and expected to pay back about N1.2million through sex slaving before
regaining their freedom.
ECOWAS Parliament, she said that the girls were sold for between N210,000 and
N240,000, and expected to pay back about N1.2million through sex slaving before
regaining their freedom.
She told the
parliament that: “Some of the girls arrived in their school uniforms, meaning
that they were kidnapped on their way to or from school.
parliament that: “Some of the girls arrived in their school uniforms, meaning
that they were kidnapped on their way to or from school.
“There are more
than one million Nigerians residing in Mali; about 20,000 of these Nigerians
are girls believed to be victims of trafficking and the number increases by 50
per day.
than one million Nigerians residing in Mali; about 20,000 of these Nigerians
are girls believed to be victims of trafficking and the number increases by 50
per day.
“Many victims are
deceived to leave their livelihoods in Nigeria for greener pastures in Mali.
deceived to leave their livelihoods in Nigeria for greener pastures in Mali.
“Some of the
victims were abducted from Nigeria, including those that arrived in their
school uniforms,” she said.
victims were abducted from Nigeria, including those that arrived in their
school uniforms,” she said.
Okah-Donli who led
a fact-finding mission to Mali disclosed that though the girls were forced into
sex slavery; after regaining their freedom decided to become “madams of their
own to deal in new girls.’’
a fact-finding mission to Mali disclosed that though the girls were forced into
sex slavery; after regaining their freedom decided to become “madams of their
own to deal in new girls.’’
She said that some
of the girls were unwilling to return to Nigeria as they were now used to the
“sex for gold trade.’’
of the girls were unwilling to return to Nigeria as they were now used to the
“sex for gold trade.’’
Okah-Donli said
that many of the victims who were rescued in 2011 and some others in 2017 came
back to Nigeria, only to return with more girls.
that many of the victims who were rescued in 2011 and some others in 2017 came
back to Nigeria, only to return with more girls.
“The traffic
madams are well known to the Nigerian community, but they are afraid to report
them because of the complicity of the Malian security agencies, especially the
gendarmerie that assist the traffickers to carry out their activities.
madams are well known to the Nigerian community, but they are afraid to report
them because of the complicity of the Malian security agencies, especially the
gendarmerie that assist the traffickers to carry out their activities.
“Nigerian victims
are way-billed from a motor-park in Cotonou, dropped at Sikasso near the border
with Burkina Faso, from where they are picked by Malian gendarmerie for delivery
to their madams.
are way-billed from a motor-park in Cotonou, dropped at Sikasso near the border
with Burkina Faso, from where they are picked by Malian gendarmerie for delivery
to their madams.
“The Malian
authorities collect taxes from the victims on a weekly basis and sell condoms
and other medications compulsorily to their victims every month.
authorities collect taxes from the victims on a weekly basis and sell condoms
and other medications compulsorily to their victims every month.
“Malian women are
already grumbling that Nigerian girls are taking their men, and there are fears
of imminent xenophobic attacks.
already grumbling that Nigerian girls are taking their men, and there are fears
of imminent xenophobic attacks.
“Three Nigerian
girls were killed between November and December 2018,’’ Okah-Donli said.
girls were killed between November and December 2018,’’ Okah-Donli said.
Ahmed, in her
testimony said that the sex trade business has become a source of serious
concern to the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso.
testimony said that the sex trade business has become a source of serious
concern to the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso.
She said that the
girls were deceived with job opportunities only to arrive and discover that
they must go through the horror of sex slaving.
girls were deceived with job opportunities only to arrive and discover that
they must go through the horror of sex slaving.
“The spate of
human trafficking here in Burkina Faso is a big concern to the embassy because at
present, we have nothing less than 10,000 Nigerian girls who have been
trafficked into Burkina Faso as commercial sex workers.
human trafficking here in Burkina Faso is a big concern to the embassy because at
present, we have nothing less than 10,000 Nigerian girls who have been
trafficked into Burkina Faso as commercial sex workers.
“Most of these
girls are underage, most left school and are roaming about doing commercial sex
work in Burkina Faso.
girls are underage, most left school and are roaming about doing commercial sex
work in Burkina Faso.
“This apart from
being a dent to our country, it is also a sort of concern as far as their
health is concerned.
being a dent to our country, it is also a sort of concern as far as their
health is concerned.
“For every
Nigerian girl that escapes and wants to go back, there are more than 10 in the
bush that are willing to carry on,’’ she said.
Nigerian girl that escapes and wants to go back, there are more than 10 in the
bush that are willing to carry on,’’ she said.
Ahmed said that the
embassy was partnering the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) office
in Ouagadougou to assist in the voluntary repatriation of victims of
trafficking.
embassy was partnering the International Organisation on Migration (IOM) office
in Ouagadougou to assist in the voluntary repatriation of victims of
trafficking.
She said that,
“200 girls have been repatriated to Nigeria by the embassy, this is
apart from the ones that ran to the churches , some to other Civil Society
Organisations(CSOs) and the International Organisations on Migration (IOM).’’
“200 girls have been repatriated to Nigeria by the embassy, this is
apart from the ones that ran to the churches , some to other Civil Society
Organisations(CSOs) and the International Organisations on Migration (IOM).’’
Beyond
repatriation, Ahmed insists that Nigerian parents must play their role by
closely monitoring their children, so that they are not swayed into accepting
deceitful promises of greener pastures abroad.
repatriation, Ahmed insists that Nigerian parents must play their role by
closely monitoring their children, so that they are not swayed into accepting
deceitful promises of greener pastures abroad.
“I am pleading
with Nigerian parents that they should know what their children are doing,
most of the girls said that their parents don’t know what they were doing.
with Nigerian parents that they should know what their children are doing,
most of the girls said that their parents don’t know what they were doing.
“This is a problem
that emanates from the family,” she said.
that emanates from the family,” she said.
For the
anti-trafficking agency, a multi-stakeholders approach has been adopted with a
recent partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to
establish a taskforce to fight human trafficking.
anti-trafficking agency, a multi-stakeholders approach has been adopted with a
recent partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to
establish a taskforce to fight human trafficking.
The partnership
according to NAPTIP is to decrease vulnerabilities to trafficking of women,
children and the youth.
according to NAPTIP is to decrease vulnerabilities to trafficking of women,
children and the youth.
To check
trafficking of girls for sex slavery, Okah-Donli recommended among other
things, that Nigeria should sign a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) with
Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Guinea and Senegal.
trafficking of girls for sex slavery, Okah-Donli recommended among other
things, that Nigeria should sign a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) with
Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Guinea and Senegal.
“All motor parks
through which the girls are trafficked should be sanitised and efforts made to
stop extortion of Nigerians travelling to or through the aforementioned
countries.
through which the girls are trafficked should be sanitised and efforts made to
stop extortion of Nigerians travelling to or through the aforementioned
countries.
“There is need for
comprehensive sensitisation of rescued victims before repatriation and a
comprehensive blueprint worked out for tracing, empowerment and rehabilitation
of victims,” Okah-Donli said.
comprehensive sensitisation of rescued victims before repatriation and a
comprehensive blueprint worked out for tracing, empowerment and rehabilitation
of victims,” Okah-Donli said.
She said NAPTIP
was ready to give technical support to Mali if it sought to establish an
anti-human trafficking agency.
was ready to give technical support to Mali if it sought to establish an
anti-human trafficking agency.
The NAPTIP boss
also suggested that the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods
should be properly implemented such that other nationals are not harassed in
other ECOWAS countries.
also suggested that the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods
should be properly implemented such that other nationals are not harassed in
other ECOWAS countries.
All in all,
stakeholders suggest that concerted efforts should be made to stop the
obnoxious business, as well as address economic situation in the country to
make travelling abroad unattractive.
stakeholders suggest that concerted efforts should be made to stop the
obnoxious business, as well as address economic situation in the country to
make travelling abroad unattractive.
Ifeanyi Nwoko is with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)