Breaking: More tracfficked Nigerian girls rescued from Lebanon

The second batch of more than 150 Nigerian girls, who were trafficked to Lebanon in search of greener pastures, following allegations of inhuman treatment meted out on them by their bosses, have arrived home.

This time, a total number of 71 girls Monday arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja and were received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

Few days ago, 94 victims, who were in the first batch, were received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Addressing reporters at the airport, Head, NEMA Abuja Operation Office, Mr Bitrus Samuel, said the victims would be going from the airport to the hotel where NAPTIP will profie their record for onward action.

He advised them to embrace agriculture to promote the Nigerian economy, instead of traveling outside Nigeria.

He said: “We are rich. The land is rich, the land is bountiful. If the youth can go back to farming, a lot of food will be available in the country and that means they have already engaged themselves.

“I am encouraging our youth to go back to agriculture. It is the mainstay of the economy. Without food, there cannot be human population. The demand for food is high because the population is increasing.

“So if all of us can go into agriculture as a producer at the primary level, it will go a long way to boost the country’s income, and if we can be able to produce in excess, we could export it.”

Also speaking, the spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Ferdinand Nwonye, said the ministry had so many engagements with the Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria before they could secure the release of the girls.

“Upon hearing the issue and seeing the viral video, the Minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyema, took it up and summoned the Lebanese Ambassador. They had series of engagements for the release of these girls, even when the minister was in isolation.

“At the end of the day, the Lebanese community here in Nigeria, through their travel agency, chartered a flight, paid for the ticket of these girls, by the facilitation of Nigeria mission in Beirut, to bring these girls down.

“From here, NEMA will take over, take them to valencia hotel that has been provided by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through NAPTIP,” Nwonye said.

Similarly, the representative from the office of NIDCOM, Mr Akinloye Akinsola, said that discussion was already on on how to stop the issuing of certificate to travel agencies as the commission has started the discussion with the Ministry of Labour and Employment and the House of Representatives Chairman on diaspora, Mrs Tolulope Akande-Shodipe.

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