Campaign launched against trafficking of women

Amina Abubakar, wife of Nigeria’s vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has launched a nationwide campaign against the widespread trafficking of women to Europe to work as prostitutes, ‘The Guardian’ Lagos daily reported on Wednesday.

The newspaper said the campaign began on Monday in Benin City, capital of the midwestern state of Edo, regarded as a major centre of the trade being conducted by highly organised criminal gangs that often lure the women into bondage on the pretext of finding jobs for them.

Mrs Abubakar said at the occasion that a total of 1,116 girls working as prostitutes in various European capitals were deported to Nigeria between March and December last year. “This is alarming. This must stop,” the paper quoted her as telling an audience of women groups and female secondary school students.