NAPTIP Repatriates 13-Year-Old Sex Trafficking Victim from Burkina Faso

The Ogun State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has successfully returned a 13-year-old Nigerian girl who was trafficked to Burkina Faso for sexual exploitation. The victim, a former tailoring apprentice, was reunited with authorities in Abeokuta following an investigation.

According to the State Commander of NAPTIP, Abosede Jimoh, the minor was trafficked last year by her 26-year-old former employer, Omotola Adedibu. The victim was forced into daily sexual activities with multiple men to repay a debt of 1.3 million CFA francs to a woman known as Madam Sweet.

“The victim endured this exploitation for over six months, even during menstrual periods, under the guise of repaying a fabricated debt,” Jimoh stated during a sensitization event at Gateway Secondary School, Abeokuta.

She confirmed that the principal suspect, Omotola Adedibu, has been arrested and will soon face prosecution, while other accomplices remain at large.

Commander Jimoh highlighted that Ogun State remains a hotspot for human trafficking and called for increased collaboration among stakeholders to combat the crime. The agency’s sensitization program aims to educate vulnerable schoolchildren on how to recognize and report trafficking schemes.

The Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Bello, represented by Jimoh, emphasized the importance of involving youths in anti-trafficking efforts, noting the inauguration of student vanguard clubs to raise awareness and prevent violence against persons.