130 underage Nigerian girls trapped in Mali, B’Faso – Dabiri-Erewa

At least 130 underage Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali and Burkina Faso are still trapped in the two countries, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

According to the Federal Government, 90 of the girls are in Burkina Faso while the remaining 40 are in Mali.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who disclosed the situation to Saturday PUNCH, described it as requiring urgent attention.

She, however, said the Nigerian embassies in the two countries were currently working to see how to rescue the underage girls.

Dabiri-Erewa also reiterated her warning to Nigerians to avoid Libya following a death penalty awaiting illegal migrants in that country.

The presidential aide had recently said her office would be working with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons to sensitise Nigerians on the need to avoid some countries.

171 Nigerians were recently repatriated to the country from Libya. The returnees, who were received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, were brought back through a joint effort of the International Organisation of Migration and the National Emergency Management Agency, in collaboration with the officials of the NCRMID.

The returnees comprised 83 female adults, 10 female children and two female infants; 73 male adults, two male children and one male infant.

Source: Punch