Two teenage girls, aged 13 and 14, one of whom is living with sickle cell disease, have been rescued in Edo State after a failed human trafficking attempt to Libya.
The victims had journeyed as far as Zaria, Kaduna State, before their trafficker instructed them to return home following the arrest of his mother, Mrs Comfort Etim, who was taken into police custody. The girls had left Edo on Sunday but were safely brought back on Wednesday night.
At the Edo State Migration Agency, the minors disclosed that they were lured with promises of employment as domestic workers for an elderly couple in Italy. They said their sponsor warned them not to inform their parents about the arrangement.
According to the victims, the trafficker placed them on a bus at Aduwawa Motor Park in Benin City with instructions to call a contact upon arriving in Kano. One of the girls, identified as Success, recalled being given food and disguises for the journey, adding that she felt relieved to have been rescued and returned home.
Her companion, who is managing sickle cell disease, said she initially believed she was embarking on an opportunity that would allow her to surprise her mother by travelling abroad.
Director General of the Edo State Migration Agency, Lucky Agazumah, confirmed the rescue and disclosed that the transport company involved in conveying the unaccompanied minors would be sanctioned.
He added that several accomplices connected to the trafficking network have already been arrested and assured that all those involved would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
