Libyan Criminal Investigation Agency rescues 5 kidnapped Nigerian girls smuggled to Tripoli and forced into prostitution

The Libyan Criminal Investigations Agency has busted a human trafficking gang from Nigeria and rescued five Nigerian girls forced into prostitution in Tripoli.

According to the Libyan Observer, the gang abducted the girls from their villages in Nigeria, smuggled them to Tripoli, where they were forced into prostitution.

It was gathered that the agency, at the weekend, raided the house where the victims were locked up and arrested some suspects after a 17-year-old girl escaped. 

Another report published by a Libyan news agency on Sunday, May 7, 2023, says the rescued girls have been handed over to the Consul General of the Nigerian Embassy while effort is ongoing to arrest other members of the criminal gang. 

“The Criminal Investigation Office, Tripoli, arrests a gang that kidnaps girls from Nigeria and brings them to Libya, in a crime considered transnational,” the post read.

“On 5/5/2023, I received information from the investigation members of the Criminal Investigation Office at the Tripoli Security Directorate, stating that there is a girl who escaped from the place of a gang formation that is exploiting girls of Nigerian nationality, who are minors, in prostitution in exchange for sums of money.

“And in the presence of the girl, accompanied by one of the consular employees of the Criminal Investigation Office, Tripoli, to file the complaint and infer with her.

“She reported that she is a 17-year-old high school student who was kidnapped along with other girls in front of her school in Nigeria and brought to Libya via desert and illegal roads.

“She also reported that she was placed in a house on the outskirts of Tripoli with the other girls who are still locked inside the house and forced to practice prostitution.

“Immediately, a work team was formed from the members of the Criminal Investigation Office in Tripoli. The investigation began, the collection of information was opened, and a report was opened and presented to the Public Prosecution, which ordered the arrest of this gang.

“The members of the office went to the location of the house and raided it, and the perpetrators were arrested and all the girls were freed.

“And by reasoning with the arrested and accused in this incident, they confessed to what was attributed to them, and all legal measures were taken regarding the incident and the Nigerian embassy was informed.

“The Consul General of the embassy attended the headquarters of the office and expressed his thanks to the Ministry of Interior, its presidency and members. 

“He also thanked the Tripoli Security Directorate and the Criminal Investigation Office for the great security efforts that were made in following up this incident, liberating the girls and apprehending the criminals.

“He said he will inform the authorities in Nigeria that the girls are safe and work will be done to return them to their country after the end of the legal and diplomatic procedures.”