Several Nigerians recently rescued from trafficking syndicates in Côte d’Ivoire have recounted how they were deceived with promises of lucrative employment, only to end up in captivity and forced into commercial sex work. The survivors, identified as Monica, 17; Juliet, 18; Rejoice, 25; Joy, 22; and Monica Tamah, 38, said traffickers exploited their desperation for better economic opportunities before transporting them to the neighbouring West African country. The victims were rescued in a joint operation involving the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, authorities in Côte d’Ivoire and the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organisation. In a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Thursday, the founder of GAHTO, Prosper Michael, was quoted as saying that the operation followed months of exploitation and abuse suffered by the victims. Recounting her ordeal, 17-year-old Monica from Benue State, said she accepted what she believed was a bakery job in Abuja before she ...
So today we had our visit to the Sickle Cell Centre, where we've been going at least once a year for almost 10 years now. We met with stiff hostility and terrible behaviour from a staff who stood in the way of our outreach. In matters like this, we usually overlook such characters and focus on the beneficiary. But this obstacle stood in the way of one patient who would have benefitted from our love visit. TLF has no intention or time to rub in the mud or take up the issue officially which is a very little thing we can do at no expense, but like Paul in the Holy Bible, who in his letters to the Church, named those who resisted his work and stood in the way of the Gospel, we shall only report this woman's name to God Almighty and leave her to her fate. But we expressed our disappointment in her to her with gentleness and love, as is in our principle as a Foundation. TLF's policy is not to make people die in their sins or lose their jobs, what shall it profit us? But we know t...