“I’VE INTERCEPTED 573 BENUE GIRLS FROM TRAFFICKERS, RETURNED OVER 103 FROM OUTSIDE NIGERIA” — ACTIVIST YAAYA

At 36, Sughnen Yaaya has taken on what many would consider a dangerous and daunting task: confronting the menace of human trafficking in Benue State, which he says has recorded the highest cases of trafficking in the country.

The Benue girls traffickers interception figures, disclosed in an interview, reveal the scale of a crisis that has seen hundreds of young girls targeted by trafficking networks operating within Nigeria and across West Africa.

THE NUMBERS

Since March 2026, Yaaya says he has intercepted 573 Benue girls within Nigeria, stopping them before they could be taken out of the country, and facilitated the return of 103 others from outside Nigeria.

“From March till now, I have intercepted 573 girls,” Yaaya said. “By interception, I mean that we stop them before they were taken out of the country. We could intercept them at a motor park or somewhere along the route because I have people who assist me” .

The girls rescued from abroad were brought back from Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Mali, and other countries.

Yaaya says he has contacts in Nigerian embassies and among diaspora communities who help locate and rescue victims once he provides their location.

He also claims that about 32 Benue girls have died in foreign countries in circumstances linked to trafficking.

HOW THE NETWORKS OPERATE

Yaaya said the trafficking networks are increasingly organized and difficult to contain. Girls are intercepted at motor parks or along routes, often before they even leave Nigeria.

Some are held in locations within Nigeria in Benin, Edo, and other states — where young women and girls are allegedly kept for prostitution.

“Benue is the state with the highest number of human trafficking cases,” Yaaya said. “So, as a citizen of Benue state, I thought it was wise to see if I could help. I decided to campaign and create awareness so that people would know that this is happening” .

THE PERSONAL COST

Yaaya’s work has come at a significant personal cost.

According to him, some alleged traffickers and their families have attempted to intimidate him. He has no personal security and depends largely on God and assistance from individuals who support his work .

“I am very scared. I count my days every day,” he admitted.

Financial constraints have also severely limited his operations. He says he does not have the resources to focus on people from other states — his work is concentrated on Benue.

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WHY IT MATTERS

Human trafficking is one of the most underreported crimes in Nigeria, and Benue State appears to be an epicenter.

Yaaya’s figures, 573 girls intercepted in seven months, 103 rescued from abroad, 32 dead, suggest a crisis of enormous scale.

But his work also highlights the gaps in official response. He operates with a network of informal contacts, relies on donations, and has no security despite threats to his life.

For the girls he has intercepted and the families he has reunited, his work has been life-changing.

But for the thousands more who remain vulnerable, the question is whether the government and its agencies can match the commitment of a single activist with a phone and a network of volunteers.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Yaaya continues his work despite the risks. He has called for stronger measures to combat trafficking and support for those on the front lines.