Several Nigerians recently rescued from trafficking syndicates in Côte d’Ivoire have recounted how they were deceived with promises of lucrative employment, only to end up in captivity and forced into commercial s*x work.
The survivors, identified as Monica, 17; Juliet, 18; Rejoice, 25; Joy, 22; and Monica Tamah, 38, said traffickers exploited their desperation for better economic opportunities before transporting them to the neighbouring West African country.
The victims were rescued in a joint operation involving the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, authorities in Côte d’Ivoire and the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation.
In a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Thursday, the founder of GAHTO, Prosper Michael, was quoted as saying that the operation followed months of exploitation and abuse suffered by the victims.
Recounting her ordeal, 17-year-old Monica from Benue State, said she accepted what she believed was a bakery job in Abuja before she was taken through Lagos to Côte d’Ivoire.
“I informed my parents because I believed the offer was genuine. We later realised there were no jobs after we were locked in a room,” she said.
She explained that the victims were closely monitored and instructed to tell family members they were safe whenever they were allowed to make phone calls.
“When I spoke to my mother, I started crying, and they immediately collected the phone from me. They kept deducting money from the little we earned without explaining why,” she recalled.
According to her, she and another victim eventually escaped with the assistance of sympathetic residents, who helped them contact GAHTO.
Another survivor, Monica Tamah, said she travelled to Côte d’Ivoire hoping to support her family and pay for her daughter’s education, only to discover she had been trafficked for prostitution.
“When we got there, we discovered there were no jobs. Instead, we were told we had been brought for prostitution and had to repay transportation debts through s*x work,” she said.
Tamah said she spent about six months in captivity, during which she and other victims were allegedly forced to sleep with as many as 15 men daily.
“They made about 50,000 CFA francs every day from us, but we received little or nothing. I remained there for about six months before I was rescued,” she added.
GAHTO also disclosed that its representative in Côte d’Ivoire, working with local authorities, rescued three other victims from Benue State in a separate operation.
Describing the operations as a major breakthrough in the fight against human trafficking, the organisation urged Nigerians to verify overseas employment and migration offers through appropriate government agencies before travelling.
It also called for stronger collaboration among governments, security agencies and international partners to dismantle trafficking networks, rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
According to anti-trafficking advocates, economic hardship, unemployment and irregular migration continue to make many young Nigerians vulnerable to traffickers, who often disguise their operations as legitimate recruitment or travel opportunities. They urged prospective migrants to carry out due diligence and report suspicious recruiters to law enforcement agencies before accepting overseas job offers.
Human trafficking remains one of the most persistent crimes targeting vulnerable Nigerians seeking greener pastures abroad, with traffickers increasingly using fake job offers to lure victims into forced prostitution, sexual exploitation and other forms of modern slavery.
