A 13-year-old Nigerian girl who was trafficked across borders and subjected to sexual exploitation in Burkina Faso has been safely returned home, following the intervention of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Ogun State.
The teenager, who was working as a tailoring apprentice, was allegedly taken out of Nigeria in 2025 by her employer, Omotola Adedibu, a 26-year-old divorcee. According to investigators, the minor was transported to the French-speaking country under false pretences before being forced into sexual exploitation.
NAPTIP revealed that while in Burkina Faso, the girl was compelled to engage in sexual activities with multiple men daily as part of efforts to repay a debt of 1.3 million CFA francs owed to a woman identified as Madam Sweet.
The Ogun State Commander of NAPTIP, Abosede Jimoh, disclosed the development on Thursday, February 5, 2026, while addressing journalists during a human trafficking sensitisation programme at Gateway Secondary School, Ita Iyalode, Abeokuta.
“One of the recent breakthroughs recorded by the agency is the successful repatriation of a 13-year-old victim of trafficking from Burkina Faso back to Abeokuta,” Jimoh said.
“The victim was a tailoring apprentice under a 26-year-old divorcee, Omotola Adedibu, who, alongside others now at large, trafficked the minor to Burkina Faso for sexual exploitation,” she added.
Jimoh said investigations showed the girl endured repeated abuse for over six months, including being forced to engage in sexual acts during her menstrual periods, all in a bid to offset the imposed debt.
“The good news is that the principal suspect, Omotola Adedibu, has been arrested and will soon be charged to court to answer for her actions”, Jimoh continued.
She described Ogun State as one of the states grappling heavily with human trafficking, stressing the urgency for stronger collaboration between government agencies, communities, and civil society to curb the menace.
According to her, the sensitisation programme was targeted at secondary school students because children and adolescents remain among the most vulnerable groups, often deceived by traffickers through promises of jobs, skills training, or better living conditions.
She said the agency is committed to equipping young people with the awareness needed to identify trafficking risks, resist manipulation, and promptly report suspicious activities to authorities.
