THE Nigerian government has warned against lodging underage girls in hotel facilities across the country.
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, issued the warning on Saturday, June 9.
“Nigeria must be better. From 20th (June), we have directed hotels to put a sign outside, from the Ministry of Women. No lodging of underage girls. What happened in Niger State will be an understatement of what will happen in the FCT and I mean it. No more lodging of underage girls, and no more bullying in schools,” Ohanenye said.
This development comes after a video of eight underage Nigerian girls, who were trafficked to Ghana, circulated on social media.
In the video, the girls disclosed that they had been in Ghana for between one and two months.
According to the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the girls, most of whom are under 18, were forced into prostitution by their trafficker.
Dabiri-Erewa also disclosed that the girls had been rescued and would return to Nigeria this week, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) would follow up on the case.
“The suspect is in custody, while eight girls (six from Imo State and two from Plateau State) are in the safe hands of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Ghana BOT chairman, Chief Callistus, and the Nigerian High Commission,” the organisation noted on X.
Kennedy-Ohanenye said the Ministry of Women Affairs would take action on the issue by Monday, June 11, 2024.
“Action will start on Monday. You will hear about our action first thing on Monday morning. That is the first thing I am going to approach and see what we can do about it,” she vowed.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.