A joint operational intervention by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO) has led to the rescue of four Nigerian girls, including a 14-year-old minor, from an alleged human trafficking ring in Morila, Mali.
The victims, all natives of Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State, were lured to the West African nation with promises of employment in gold mining operations and commercial shops, only to be forced into prostitution upon arrival.
In a statement issued on Monday, November 2, 2026, the founder of GAHTO, Prosper Michael, disclosed that the rescue was initiated after one of the victims used artificial intelligence tools via WhatsApp to locate emergency contacts and send a distress message to NAPTIP’s Uyo Command.
Narrating her ordeal, one of the survivors, 23-year-old auxiliary nurse Sekinat, revealed that she commenced the journey on October 14, 2026, arriving in Mali on October 19. Upon arrival, their handler confiscated their mobile phones, passports, and identification documents under threat of violence or death if they refused sex work.
The Head of Operations at NAPTIP Uyo Command, Identified as Mr. Geoffrey, confirmed receiving the emergency message along with photographs and location details, enabling GAHTO and Nigerian community leadership in Mali to execute the extraction.
Geoffrey expressed concern over the involvement of a 14-year-old minor, describing the circumstances surrounding her movement out of Nigeria as a severe case of child abuse requiring full investigation.
The rescue coalition appealed to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to provide medical, psychological, and educational rehabilitation for the survivors while calling on law enforcement to arrest and prosecute members of the trafficking network.
