IOM Rescues 30 Nigerian Women Lured To Mali To Work As Prostitutes

IOM Rescues 30 Nigerian Ladies Lured To Mali To Work As Prostitutes

30 Nigerian females stranded in Mali have voluntarily returned to the country after spending many years in the Francophone country.

Their return, The Nation learnt was facilitated by the assistance programme put together by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) after a harrowing experience in Mali.

This is just as no fewer than nine persons have been refused departure on suspicion of human trafficking from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA)

Our correspondent gathered that the young ladies had travelled by road to Mali and were expected to connect Europe only to be marooned in Mali where they fell in with the wrong crowd and were made to work as prostitutes in the West Africa country.

A senior immigration source who confirmed their rescue refused to give details on the ladies but stated that they were in the country and will be processed and handed to the right authorities for reintegration and counselling.

Meanwhile, he said that between January 23, 2020 and January 24, 2020 nine other Nigerians were denied departure from the MMIA while intending to travel to the Middle East countries of Lebanon and Dubai from Lagos.

He explained that a lot of such cases were recorded and that immigration may not intercept them all but are keeping keen eye on human traffickers and persons to be trafficked.

He explained that a lot needs to be done in sensitizing the youth and keeping them from such endeavors that may destroy them in the long run.