By Ghazali Ibrahim
Oyiza Hope Yakubu, a renowned anti-human trafficking crusader, has accused the Federal Government of sidelining and ignoring her efforts in rescuing Nigerian girls trafficked to Mali.
Yakubu made the allegations after she single-handedly located and rescued Adeola, the missing daughter of popular Nollywood actress Jumoke George.
According to Yakubu, she was in Mali on a mission to rescue trafficked Nigerian girls when she came across Adeola’s case on a podcast.
Despite having other tasks, she prioritized Adeola’s case due to its high profile nature and successfully located and rescued her from Mali.
Yakubu claimed that she not only rescued Adeola but also bought her new clothes and shoes and was preparing to bring her back to Nigeria alongside other rescued Nigerian girls.
However, Yakubu alleged that the Nigerian government swooped in, took Adeola away, and ignored the other Nigerian girls she had rescued.
“They took the glory without mentioning who really did the job,” Yakubu stated.
She expressed frustration that the government did not acknowledge her contributions to the rescue efforts and instead chose to take credit for her work.
Yakubu emphasized that she does not do her job for recognition but for the passion to rescue Nigerians trapped in slavery.
Her allegations raise concerns about the government’s handling of human trafficking cases and its relationship with civil society organizations and individuals working to combat the scourge.
