By: Biodun Busari
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Africa, Prof Jude Osakwe, has explained how a 12-year-old Nigerian girl was rescued from traffickers in Cote d’Ivoire.
Osakwe said the collaborative efforts with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission helped in rescuing the girl from human traffickers in the West African country.
In a conversation with Diaspora Tales, Osakwe said the parents of the girl living in Warri, Delta State, were deceived that she would be working in a Canadian restaurant.
He stated that the NIDO task force in Cote d’Ivoire found the girl, adding that the Nigerian embassy also contributed to the safe return of the child to reunite with her parents in Nigeria.
The girl’s stepfather handed her over to some human traffickers ignorantly in Warri, after they told him that she would travel to Canada and start working in a restaurant,” he said.
The NIDO Africa chairman said the organisation had swung into action with a view to arresting those who were involved in trafficking the girl both in Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire.
Osakwe said his organisation was collaborating with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons to arrest the culprits.
We are working with the authorities to arrest the criminals who are behind this trafficking of a 12-year-old to Cote d’Ivoire. They will be prosecuted immediately,” Osakwe said.
He also urged the Nigerian lawmakers to legislate a law that would check parents from releasing their children to human traffickers.
“We call on the National Assembly to enact a law that will prosecute parents or guardians who give out those children in the name of seeking greener pastures for them.
“NIDO will set up task forces in all African countries to fight this menace,” he added
