Popular activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, has condemned Nigeria’s weak border control, linking it directly to the increasing trafficking of Nigerian girls to other countries.
Speaking at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, Otse reacted to the return of several Nigerian women who were trafficked to Côte d’Ivoire. He criticized immigration officials for focusing on low-level smuggling while ignoring large-scale human trafficking. “They spend time chasing bags of rice while hundreds of girls are smuggled out daily,” he said.
He emphasized that rescuing victims is not enough. Preventive action must come first. According to him, many girls are still at risk, and some never make it back. Otse added that trafficking is not just across borders—it happens within Nigeria too. Young children are exploited daily, especially on the streets, without proper intervention.
Earlier this week, dozens of girls who had been trafficked abroad were brought back to Nigeria. They arrived at Lagos airport around 1 a.m. and were received by authorities for health checks and support.
Otse also pointed out a pattern: those who return from trafficking often become tools in the same cycle. In poor rural areas, they show off foreign wealth, unknowingly luring others into the same trap. He warned that these displays of sudden success mislead many into trusting traffickers.
To stop this, Otse called for a total reform of border control. He also urged for awareness campaigns at community levels to educate families and youths about the dangers of illegal migration and trafficking.
He concluded by saying Nigeria’s fight against trafficking will fail unless the government takes border security and local education seriously.
