A joint regional operation has successfully rescued a group of Nigerian human trafficking survivors from Côte d’Ivoire, where they were held captive and subjected to forced labour and sexual exploitation.
The raid was carried out by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in coordination with Ivorian authorities and the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO).
In a statement released Thursday, GAHTO founder Prosper Michael confirmed that local representatives and authorities secured the release of several victims, including five women identified as Monica (17), Juliet (18), Rejoice (25), Joy (22), and Monica Tamah (38). A separate operation also freed three additional victims originating from Benue State.
According to anti-trafficking officials, the syndicate targeted vulnerable individuals by exploiting their desire for economic opportunities, promising legitimate employment abroad before smuggling them out of Nigeria.
Recounting how she was trafficked, 17-year-old Monica explained that she left home after being offered a job at a bakery in Abuja, only to be moved through Lagos to Côte d’Ivoire. Once there, the victims were confined to a room and forced into hard labour.
She revealed that captors strictly monitored their communication, ordering them to tell family members they were safe. When she broke down during a call with her mother, handlers immediately confiscated the phone. After captors continually withheld her earnings under the guise of unexplained fee deductions, she and another victim managed to escape with assistance from local residents before contacting GAHTO.
Another survivor, 38-year-old Monica Tamah, disclosed that she travelled abroad hoping to earn money for her family and cover her daughter’s school fees. Instead, her captors informed her that she was brought to work off a travel debt through sex work. Held in captivity for roughly six months, Tamah reported being forced to service up to 15 clients daily. The operation generated nearly 50,000 CFA francs a day for the traffickers, while the women received virtually no compensation.
Describing the successful interventions as a significant milestone in combating human trafficking across West Africa, GAHTO cautioned citizens against unverified overseas opportunities.