‘We thought it was Malaysia’ – Survivors expose Mali trafficking ring
By Esther Onyegbula
Three Nigerian young girls trafficked under the guise of overseas employment have exposed a cross-border human trafficking syndicate that lured them with promises of jobs in Malaysia but ended up forcing them into prostitution in Mali.
The victims, Bella Boluwatife, Linda Zainab and Amoke Joy, who spoke to Vanguard reporter, said they were deceived, transported across multiple borders and held in debt bondage before their eventual rescue through coordinated intervention by authorities and anti-trafficking groups.
According to one of the victims, Bella: “Our journey began on February 17, 2026, when an agent identified as Peter Osas arranged what appeared to be legitimate travel plans to Malaysia with our parents. He assured us of employment in a bar or as a housekeeper to their parents. The process initially appeared credible, with a video call arranged with our supposed sponsor, identified as ‘Angel,’ during which they were coached to respond positively to all questions.”
“From Ogun State, we were taken to the Seme border and moved into Cotonou in Benin Republic. Our clothes were changed, new identities were issued, and passports were processed in less than an hour. We were told to lie about where we were from if questioned,” she said.
The journey, however, took a different turn as they were transported by road for six days through several checkpoints en route to Mali.
“At that point, we realised we were not travellers but cargo. There were armed officers at checkpoints, and money was exchanged to secure our passage,” Bella added.
“There were no houses, only makeshift shelters in a bush. We saw condoms everywhere and young girls, some as young as 13. That was when it hit us, this was not Malaysia. It was a brothel,” she said.
The victims said they were immediately forced into sex work and informed that each of them owed 1.5 million CFA francs, a debt they had to repay to regain freedom.
Zainab corroborated the account, stating that their phones were confiscated and they were separated and assigned to different handlers.
“We begged to be allowed to do other jobs, but we were told there was no alternative. Customers came daily, and all the money went to our handlers. We had no control over anything,” she said.
She added that attempts to resist were futile, as the system was designed to break them psychologically and financially.
Joy, however, managed to alert her family in Nigeria, prompting a rescue effort.
Their parents contacted the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, Lagos Zonal Command, which escalated the matter to the Global Anti-Human Trafficking Organization, GAHTO, leading to the involvement of the Nigerian embassy in Mali.
Under mounting pressure, the traffickers released the victims and arranged their return to Nigeria.
“Our handlers became nervous when they realised authorities were involved. They asked us to lie to our families, but we refused. Eventually, they put us on a bus back home with little money,” Joy said.
Commenting on the development, Founder of GAHTO, Prosper K. A. Michael, described human trafficking as a highly organised transnational crime driven by deception and exploitation.
He said: “Victims are lured with promises of better opportunities abroad but end up in forced labour or sexual exploitation. Their documents are seized, movements restricted, and they are subjected to modern-day slavery.”
He noted that similar rescue operations have been carried out in countries including Egypt, Libya and Iraq, warning that the trafficking network continues to exploit vulnerable Nigerians.
The victims, now back in the country, said they are focused on rebuilding their lives and warned others against falling prey to similar schemes.
“We thought we were travelling for work. We didn’t know we were walking into a trap,” Bella said.
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