The Nigeria Police have rescued two teenage girls who were allegedly trafficked from Ogoja, Cross River State, to Ivory Coast, while two other girls were intercepted before they could be taken out of the country.
The rescued victims, identified as 16-year-old Victoria and 17-year-old Comfort, were reportedly lured with promises of better opportunities before being transported to Ivory Coast.
According to reports, the teenagers were allegedly subjected to exploitation, physical abuse and other hardships after arriving in the country.
They were later repatriated to Nigeria following the intervention of policemen attached to the Ogoja Divisional Headquarters.
In a separate operation, police officers also intercepted two other teenage girls who were allegedly being trafficked from Ogoja through Lagos to Ivory Coast.
The intervention reportedly prevented the girls from leaving Nigeria and potentially falling into the hands of a suspected trafficking syndicate.
Receiving the rescued girls, Mrs Christy Asari Agbeh, wife of the Ogoja Local Government Council chairman, condemned child trafficking and warned against activities that expose children to exploitation.
Agbeh commended the police for rescuing the victims and directed that the two repatriated girls be taken to General Hospital, Ogoja, for medical examination as part of efforts to support their recovery and reintegration.
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She urged parents, guardians, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community members to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements involving children to security agencies.
She also advised young people to properly verify overseas employment offers before accepting them, particularly offers that promise unusually lucrative opportunities.
Agbeh assured that the Ogoja Local Government Council would continue collaborating with security agencies and other stakeholders to protect children and ensure that those responsible for trafficking are brought to justice.
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