31 Nigerians trafficked to Burkina Faso rescued by Katsina government
- The Katsina state government have rescued 31 Nigerians trafficked to Burkina Faso
The state government said the victims were expected to return to Katsina on Tuesday, October 1
- According to the director-general of media and publicity for the state, the victims were tricked into slavery in the Benin Republic to Beninoise lady by one Alhaji Usman from Kankara town
Thirty-one Nigerians who were trafficked and into Burkina Faso as slaves have been rescued by the Katsina state government.
Abdu Malumfashi, the director-general of media and publicity to the state government said the victims were expected to return to Katsina on Tuesday, October 1.
Malumfashi said seven of the victims of human trafficking have also been assisted to return to the country by the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso.
He said the victims were not kidnapped but rather tricked into slavery in the Benin Republic to Beninoise lady by one Alhaji Usman from Kankara town.
Stating that Usman is now at large, Malumfashi said his mobile phones number are already in the possession of security officials and relevant agencies.
"The 31 Katsina State citizens were not kidnapped but tricked and sold into slavery in Benin Republic to a Beninoise lady by one Alhaji Usman from Kankara town, now at large, but whose mobile phone numbers are in the possession of security and other government officials.
“The Benin lady thereafter took her ‘slaves’ to Gaoua, a town 150 kilometres from Ouagadougou, the Burkina Faso capital, where she kept them in servitude without food or money. The lady has been apprehended by the local authorities in Gaoua," Malumfashi said.
He also said that 24 other victims of slavery were due to arrive at the state where they will be received by the governor, Aminu Masari.
According to Malumfashi, the release of the victims was facilitated by the Nigerian Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Hajiya Rahmatu Ahmed.
He said Ahmed had contacted and informed the Katsina state government about the plight of the trafficked victims, currently under the care of the Chief of the Hausa community in Ouagadougou.
“On receiving the information, Governor Masari dispatched the Special Adviser on Drugs, Narcotics and Trafficking, Alhaji Hamza Brodo with a 30-seater luxury bus to go to Ouagadougou and bring back the remaining 24 victims," he said.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that about 20 people were kidnapped and sold into slavery in Burkina Faso.
A report said the victims were kidnapped around Kankara local government area of Katsina and sold to a woman in Cotonou who also sold them to another slave merchant in Burkina Faso.
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Source: Legit.ng
