The House of Representatives yesterday commenced inquiry into allegations surrounding the repatriation of trafficked Nigerian girls from the Republic of Mali, as lawmakers commenced a thorough review of Nigeria’s response to human trafficking and the efficacy of existing mechanisms for rescuing, rehabilitating and reintegrating victims across West Africa.
The meeting, convened by the House Committee on Humanitarian Services, was held to identify policy and operational gaps in Nigeria’s anti-trafficking architecture, strengthen collaboration among relevant institutions and develop practical recommendations to improve the repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked Nigerians returning from Mali and other West African countries. Demographics
They brought together parliamentarians, government departments and agencies, security institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and migration experts, reported Daily Independent.
The discussions were on a presentation by the National Council of Child Rights Advocates, Nigeria (NACCRAN) which made allegations of irregularities in the repatriation of trafficked Nigerians from Mali, including allegations of abuse, non-transparency in the handling of rescued victims and misconduct by some officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Bamako and their alleged collaborators.
NACCRAN’s Operations Consultant on Diaspora Issues, Prince Adefioye Gbolagade Simeon, who presented the organisation’s findings to the committee, said he spent 11 months in Mali investigating reports of Nigerian girls trafficked into prostitution in Mali, the Republic of Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Statistics
The expedition was undertaken in 2022, he said, adding that the group received distress reports on the increased number of underage Nigerian girls being transported to the sub-region for sexual exploitation.
Simeon said the repatriation process was not transparent and that the victims rescued were often taken to the Nigerian Embassy in Mali and kept there for long periods while waiting for repatriation through the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), even as money was allegedly collected to facilitate their transportation back to Nigeria.
Our inquiry showed that the rescued girls were usually confined in the vicinity of the Embassy, awaiting deportation by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). “Questions about the use of this money were never satisfactorily answered,” he claimed.
He further claimed that several of the females who were rescued had been badly beaten up physically and emotionally after opposing prostitution and said documentary evidence had been given to substantiate the charges.
The petitioner also raised concerns about the paperwork of Nigerians living in Mali, noting that migrants were paying between 10,000 and 15,000 CFA Francs for identity cards, many of which were apparently denied at border checkpoints.
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Simeon also accused some people of purportedly cooperating with officials of the Nigerian Embassy of abusing vulnerable Nigerians under the premise of supporting rescue operations.
He told the committee that petitions sent to the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, National Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Senate President had little success.
He said efforts to raise issues with embassy personnel were met with intimidation.
At one meeting, he said, the Consular Officer told him that “neither the House of Representatives nor any political office appointed him” and threatened that “any action taken against him would result in our arrest and detention.”
However, Simeon commended the intervention of the House Committee on Humanitarian Services, saying that its intervention led to the deployment of a fact-finding team of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Mali in July 2025 and opened the door for the successful repatriation of over 10 underage Nigerian girls between September and December 2025. Demographic
He said that on the 24th of September, 2025, victims like Joy Alex and Christabel Gideon were turned over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) while others were later reunited with their families.
He called on the committee to direct the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally introduce NACCRAN to Nigerian missions in West Africa to facilitate humanitarian operations, investigate allegations surrounding repatriation activities at the Nigerian Embassy in Mali, strengthen collaboration among relevant agencies and civil society organisations and develop a comprehensive policy framework to protect Nigerian girls and women from trafficking and exploitation across the sub-region.
The claims were made by NACCRAN before the committee and were not independently verified by the House of Representatives at the time of the meeting.
In her welcome address, Chairperson, House Committee on Humanitarian Services, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, described human trafficking as one of the worst humanitarian and human rights problems facing Nigeria. She noted that thousands of Nigerians, especially women, children and young people are still falling into the trap of trafficking, forced labour, sexual exploitation and other forms of modern slavery across West Africa and beyond. Demographic information
“Every statistic is a human story: a mother separated from her children, a young person whose dreams have been exploited or a survivor whose hope has been eroded by circumstances beyond their control.
“These realities remind us that trafficking is not merely a migration issue, but a grave violation of human rights and an affront to human dignity that calls for a coordinated national response.”
She said that the repatriation of victims should not be considered the end of the government’s responsibilities.
“The real test of our success is not only in repatriation, but in the quality and sustainability of support we provide after survivors return. “Without full rehabilitation and meaningful reintegration, many survivors are left vulnerable to poverty, social exclusion and tragically, re-trafficking.”
Akande-Sadipe stated that international best practice demands a survivor-centred approach that includes safe and dignified repatriation together with healthcare, psychosocial support, legal assistance, education, vocational training, and sustainable economic prospects.
She reiterated the commitment of the House of Representatives to strengthening the legislative, policy and oversight framework needed to enhance institutional coordination, accountability and assistance for institutions tasked with the protection of vulnerable Nigerians. Population data
The committee chair asked stakeholders to move beyond the identification of problems, and focus on practical and survivor-centred solutions, saying Nigeria must develop a coordinated system that restores hope, preserves human dignity and prevents victims from being re-trafficked.
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