Human Trafficking Nightmare: Plateau State Fights Back, Rescues Daughters from Mali Hell

By Tunde Okoro, Najia Pulse

Three young Nigerian women are finally home. Rescued from a nightmare in Mali. And Plateau State is not keeping quiet about it. The state government is sounding the alarm on a growing crisis — human trafficking — and sending a clear message: we are coming for our people.

The victims — Victoria, 23, from Delta State, and Joy and Janet, both 22 and 23 from Plateau State — were handed over by the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO) to Plateau State officials in Lagos on Sunday. They are now set for rehabilitation and reintegration under the state's Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission.

These young women were lured with promises of legitimate jobs. They ended up in sexual exploitation. This is the ugly reality too many Nigerians face when traffickers prey on their dreams.

What happened to the rescued victims?

Victoria, an orphan and mother of a five-year-old daughter, accepted an offer of employment abroad. She was told it was a job. It was prostitution. She refused and asked to return. Joy was working as a domestic worker in Lagos before a man named Kingsley promised her a restaurant job in Mali. She and Janet discovered they had been sold into a prostitution ring. Their phones and documents were confiscated. They were threatened, assaulted, and given only one meal a day.

Janet became stranded in Lagos and accepted the offer. In Mali, she was told to engage in prostitution. She said, 'I told them I would rather die than do prostitution. That was not why I travelled.'

How is Plateau State fighting human trafficking?

Olivia Dazyam, Special Adviser to Governor Caleb Muftwang on Gender Matters and Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, said the state is increasingly worried. 'As a Commission, we felt it was necessary to rise to the occasion to address these issues by protecting the human rights of our people, especially women and children,' she said.

Dazyam warned parents against entrusting their children to strangers. 'Parents cannot abdicate their responsibilities. When children become vulnerable and begin seeking help on their own, traffickers take advantage of them, moving them outside the state and even outside the country, where they are exposed to unimaginable exploitation.'

The state government has pledged to intensify public enlightenment campaigns and strengthen collaboration with security agencies, civil society organisations, and development partners. Rescued victims receive counselling, psychosocial support, and empowerment programmes. Efforts are ongoing to identify and prosecute traffickers and their collaborators.

What role did GAHTO play in the rescue?

GAHTO founder Prosper Michael said the rescue began after a partner in Jos reported two young women held in sexual captivity in Mali. Details from Plateau State's Gender Commission enabled GAHTO to establish contact and coordinate the rescue. 'This rescue demonstrates what collaboration can achieve, but thousands of Nigerian girls are still being held in sexual captivity across West Africa. We need stronger partnerships if we are to dismantle these trafficking networks and rescue more victims,' Michael said.

What can Nigerian youths do to stay safe?

Janet urged Nigerian youths to verify overseas job offers before travelling. 'Most of the jobs they promise are not genuine. Young people should investigate properly before travelling anywhere.'

This is not just a Plateau story. It is a Nigerian story. A West African story. And it is time we all rise up. No more daughters lost to traffickers. No more dreams stolen. Plateau State is showing the way. The rest of us must follow.