The Edo State Government has successfully rescued a 20-year-old woman, Miss Iwinosa Okuonobo, who was trafficked to Burkina Faso at the age of 15 under the pretense of securing a job in Dubai.
The rescue operation, coordinated through the Office of the First Lady in collaboration with the Edo State Migration Agency, was formally announced during a welcome ceremony held at the Festival Hall of the Government House in Benin City.
Representing the Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, at the event, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Rt. Hon. Samson Osagie, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to combating human trafficking and irregular migration. He noted that the recently enacted Edo State Migration Law has replaced the Trafficking in Persons Law of 2018 to better protect vulnerable women and children from exploitation.
The Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Mrs. Edesili Okpebholo Anani, commended Governor Okpebholo and the Director General of the Migration Agency, Hon. Lucky Agazuma, for their swift intervention. She pledged comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration support for Okuonobo, including healthcare, education, and psychosocial services.
Addressing attendees, Mrs. Anani described Okuonobo’s ordeal as both heartbreaking and inspiring, emphasizing the importance of using her story to raise awareness and save other potential victims. She called on stakeholders to intensify campaigns against human trafficking, rape, and child abuse, and advocated for greater protection of the girl child in Edo State.
Hon. Agazuma expressed gratitude to the state government and Mrs. Anani for their collaborative efforts, highlighting the swift response that facilitated Okuonobo’s safe return home from Burkina Faso.
In an emotional address, Okuonobo recounted how her traffickers subjected her to sex servitude upon arrival in Burkina Faso, rather than providing the promised employment opportunity in the United Arab Emirates. She thanked the state government and the Migration Agency for rescuing her and giving her a second chance at life.
