The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), on Tuesday, confirmed the rescue of five Benue girls trafficked to Cote D’Ivoire for prostitution.

Confirming the incident in Makurdi, Gloria Bai, NAPTIP zonal commander, Makurdi zonal office, said the girls had been rescued and were currently with the Nigerian Embassy in Cote D’Ivoire.

The zonal commander said the agency’s attention was called on Monday to a group of girls rescued in Cote D’Ivoire.

“We have seen the girls and the video. The girls are there in Cote d’Ivoire. For now, there are five of them, and we have spoken to them yesterday, and they are safe at the Nigerian Embassy in Cote d’Ivoire.

“As of this morning, arrangements are being made for them to be brought back to the country, and we are monitoring the situation to ensure that they are brought back safely and handed over to us,” she said.

The zonal commander said the agency had started an investigation into the case.

She also informed that the woman mentioned by the girls as being responsible for their predicament had also been arrested.

Ms Bai, who described the case as a rude shock, regretted that the video was being shared on social media, thereby exposing the girls’ identities.

“This is like another rude awakening. It’s unfortunate that the video went viral because the identities of the girls have been exposed, as it’s being shared all over social media.

“It is also a call for us that we shouldn’t be in denial that our girls are being taken out every day to African countries for all sorts of exploitation,” the NAPTIP official said.

She said they were looking forward to meeting the girls, profiling them, and learning the exact circumstances that led to their arrival in that country.

Also, the state police spokesperson, SP Sewuese Anene, told journalists that the woman who allegedly masterminded their trip to Cote d’Ivoire in Kwande was in their custody.

Ms Anene said the suspect would be brought to the police headquarters on Wednesday for further investigation.

The video showed that the girls were between 17 and 21 years old and spoke the Tiv language fluently.

In the video, the girls say they were deceived into travelling to Cote d’Ivoire, where they would be given jobs.

(NAN)