The combined operatives of the Nigerian embassy and a Senegalese-based NGO have, in an overnight operation, rescued 24 Nigerian girls who were subjected to sexual exploitation in the Tamaccounda and Kedougou Regions of Senegal.

Salihu Abubakar, Nigeria’s acting ambassador in Dakar, Senegal, disclosed this on Sunday.

According to him, the girls, mostly under-aged, between the ages of 11 and 24, are being trafficked to Senegal through Cotonou, Republic of Benin, via the Mali border for sexual exploitation in Tamaccounda and Kedougou Regions.

“These girls and many more are being trafficked to Senegal, through Cotonou, Benin Republic via Mali to the Senegal border for prostitution,” the ambassador said.

Mr Abubakar said that the preliminary investigation revealed that most of the school dropouts were girls from Edo and Delta, adding that a few were from Imo and Abia, while two others were from Plateau.

However, he said that 24 and 22 were already repatriated weeks ago, while the two other ladies were repatriated to Nigeria on Saturday and landed safely in Nigeria.

The diplomat could not immediately give the details of the health status of the victims and other information regarding the time they spent while undergoing sexual exploitation in Senegal.

The envoy said the successful repatriation of the girls to Nigeria was a clear indication of the strengthened international cooperation in combating human trafficking between the embassy and the Senegalese-based NGO, ‘Free the Slaves’ (La Lumiere in French).

“Our main goal and number one priority is to discourage the trafficking of our Nigerian girls to any part of the world for prostitution under any disguise,” Mr Abubakar said.

(NAN)