Trafficked Edo girl loses sight after abuse in Burkina Faso
An Edo State girl simply identified as Precious has lost her sight after being subjected to a series of abuse in Burkina Faso. Precious was trafficked to Burkina Faso and
An Edo State girl simply identified as Precious has lost her sight after being subjected to a series of abuse in Burkina Faso.
Precious was trafficked to Burkina Faso and forced into prostitution.
She was rescued by the Edo State Government through the Migration Agency and returned to Nigeria yesterday.
Director -General of the agency, Mr. Lucky Agazuma, who spoke to reporters in Benin City, the state capital, described the development as “a happy and a sad day” in view of the victims’ ordeal.
Agazuma stated that the rescue was triggered by an alert from Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ambassador Muhammad Galadima Danladi.
He said Governor Monday Okpeholo ordered the rescue of the victim and two others.
Agazuma said Precious was subjected to extreme abuse, resulting in the loss of her sight.
“It is quite a happy and a sad day with the situation around us. The Nigerian Ambassador to Burkina Faso reached out to the Governor of Edo State on stranded Edo indigenes. One of the victims was deceived to Burkina Faso, and on getting there he was imprisoned and remained there until we secured his release.
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“Two other ladies were deceived and trafficked from Edo to Burkina Faso with promises of jobs. On getting there, they were forced into prostitution, and when they declined, they were beaten mercilessly and subjected to all sorts of inhuman treatment.
“The second victim was maltreated to the point where she lost her sight before the governor quickly directed that we rescue them back to Edo. She will be taken straight to the hospital on the governor’s directive to see what can be done about her condition,” he added.
Agazuma said it has been difficult to trace the family of the visually impaired victim.
“We have tried to trace her family members in Uselu but to no avail. We are appealing to members of the public who have any information to make it available to the agency. We are applying our rehabilitation model to ensure full recovery and reintegration,”
One suspect, according to Agazuma, has been arrested.
One of the rescued victims, Evans, said he travelled in January, this year but was arrested and detained until he was rescued.
