Several young Nigerian women have been rescued from human trafficking in Côte d’Ivoire after they were lured from Nigeria with promises of good jobs and a better life. The rescue operation happened on Thursday, July 23, 2026, according to a statement by the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation (GAHTO).
The rescued victims include Monica (17), Juliet (18), Rejoice (25), Joy (22), Esther, and another Monica (38). They told their painful stories after being saved in a joint operation by GAHTO, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and authorities in Côte d’Ivoire. Watch Video Here ➜
According to the victims, traffickers used their desire for a better future to deceive them. One of the survivors, Monica, said she was offered a bakery job in Abuja. She informed her parents because she thought it was real. From there, they took her through Lagos to Côte d’Ivoire.
“I informed my parents because I believed the offer was genuine. We later realised there were no jobs after we were locked in a room,” she said. The traffickers forced them to tell their families they were safe, even when they were suffering. “When I spoke to my mother, I started crying, and they immediately collected the phone from me,” Monica added. They deducted money from the little they earned without any explanation.
Another victim, Monica Tamah (38), wanted to provide for her family and pay for her daughter’s education. “When we got there, we discovered there were no jobs. Instead, we were told we had been brought for prostitution and had to repay transportation debts through sex work,” she recounted. She said they forced her and others to sleep with as many as 15 men daily. “They made about 50,000 CFA francs every day from us, but we received little or nothing.” She spent about six months in captivity before rescue.
GAHTO founder Prosper Michael said three other victims from Benue State were rescued in a separate operation. He described the rescues as a big success in the fight against human trafficking.