CHUKA UBAH
The Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organization (GAHTO) has raised renewed concern over the rising cases of human trafficking of ladies from Imo State, following the rescue of a 22-year-old physically challenged victim, Njoku Princess Nnena.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that the organization is calling on the Imo State Government to urgently step in with support measures aimed at rehabilitating victims and preventing further occurrences.
Nnena, who was trafficked to Mali, narrated how economic hardship and family responsibilities pushed her into seeking opportunities outside her home state. In a bid to support her three-year-old son and her struggling mother, she embarked on a journey that would later expose her to a cross-border trafficking network.
Her movement began from Onitsha and continued to Lagos, where she encountered individuals who facilitated her connection to traffickers. She was reportedly introduced to a woman operating around an underbridge, believed to serve as a recruitment point for young girls being moved abroad.
From Lagos, Nnena was transported through Cotonou in the Benin Republic before eventually arriving in Mali, where she was handed over to another member of the network.
On arrival, she was placed in a house with other Nigerian girls under the control of a “madam”. She alleged that the victims were forced into prostitution and required to remit proceeds to their handlers, despite unclear terms of repayment.
Her ordeal however, took a different turn when her health condition worsened. Nnena, who suffers from epilepsy resulting from a childhood stroke, disclosed that she ran out of medication during the journey. The lack of treatment led to a severe decline in her health, making her unable to continue the activities she was expected to perform.
She was subsequently sent back to Nigeria and later rescued with the intervention of GAHTO, arriving back on Friday before Easter.
Her mother, Mrs. Ipe Ikenna Lora, while speaking on the development, recounted the long-standing health challenges her daughter has faced since childhood. She explained that the condition began at the age of two with convulsions, progressed into coma, and later developed into epilepsy, accompanied by memory loss.
Mrs. Lora also revealed that the situation led to the breakdown of her marriage, as her husband abandoned the family, blaming her for the child’s condition. Since then, she has carried the burden of care alone, while managing a small business to survive.
She added that the stress has taken a toll on her health, resulting in high blood pressure, and noted that her daughter’s memory challenges sometimes cause her to wander away from home.
According to her, she had no knowledge of Nnena’s trip to Mali until she was contacted by GAHTO after the rescue operation.
Now back in Nigeria, Nnena is appealing for support to rebuild her life. As an SS2 student, she expressed her determination to either continue her education or learn a vocational skill that will help her become financially independent. She also stressed the importance of accessing regular medical care to manage her condition.
Her mother echoed the appeal, calling on government agencies, humanitarian bodies, and individuals to provide assistance that would help stabilize her daughter’s life.
In its response, GAHTO warned that Nnena’s case reflects a wider and growing pattern of trafficking across West Africa, particularly targeting vulnerable young women facing economic and health challenges.
The organization specifically urged key stakeholders, including Chioma D. Uzodinma and Nkechinyere Ugwu, to take immediate and coordinated action.
GAHTO emphasized the need for intensified public awareness campaigns, stronger preventive frameworks, and sustainable rehabilitation programs for survivors.
The case, the organization noted, underscores the urgent need for collective action to combat human trafficking and to provide victims with the support necessary to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.