Bangkok:Benue Young girls in Benue are being lured with false promises of employment and better living conditions, only to find themselves entrapped in a nightmare of sexual exploitation, forced labor, and modern-day slavery. This issue has grown particularly severe amid increasing insecurity, displacement, and economic hardship, leaving many families and children vulnerable to traffickers.
According to Ghana Web, anti-trafficking campaigner Sughnen Yaaya has been actively working to combat this crisis. Since March 2026, he has managed to intercept 573 girls within Nigeria and assisted in the return of 103 others from countries such as Ghana, Mali, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. Yaaya also reports that approximately 32 Benue girls have died abroad in trafficking-related circumstances. Despite facing intimidation and financial constraints, he continues his efforts to expose trafficking networks and educate families on the dangers.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Africa (NIDO Africa) has also been involved in the fight against human trafficking in Benue. They have conducted sensitization programs and rescued many trafficked children, establishing task forces in countries like Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to aid in the arrest and prosecution of traffickers. NIDO Africa aims to prevent trafficking by raising awareness at the grassroots level and has proposed legislation to impose penalties on parents who allow their children to be trafficked.
The Director of Public Prosecution in the Benue State Ministry of Justice, Dooshima Ortsega, highlighted the urgent need for such campaigns, noting the vulnerability of displaced and out-of-school children. The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has been actively involved, rescuing 100 of the 400 children taken from Yelewata after an attack in June 2025.
Benue Links, a state-owned transport company, has joined the efforts by monitoring suspicious activities at their terminals and facilitating the return of trafficked individuals to their communities. However, this intervention has financial implications for the company, as it often transports rescued victims without payment.
The wife of the Tor Tiv, Prof. Felicia Ayati, has also played a pivotal role by supporting and encouraging rescued victims to acquire skills for rebuilding their lives. Meanwhile, Francis Odiir from the Campaign for Equal Rights and Opportunities for all Nigerians (CERON) emphasizes the need for the state government to address the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty and insecurity, to protect vulnerable children from exploitation.
The trafficking crisis in Benue poses a significant challenge, demanding comprehensive and collaborative efforts to safeguard the future of its young population.