Nigeria
Thirty-five teenage girls have been rescued from a hotel in southeastern Nigeria where a trafficking ring was forcing them into prostitution. Children birth to these girls are sold, according to local police.
The girls, aged between 14 and 17, were rescued from the Gally Gally hotel in Anambra state, where they were "used as sex slaves for prostitution and baby-making," local police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga said in a statement on Wednesday evening.
Four of the girls were pregnant, he said, adding that weapons and cash had been recovered by police.
Three men were arrested at the scene, while the owner of the hotel is on the run, the police said.
Human trafficking, which includes forced prostitution and the sale of children, is the third most common crime in Nigeria, behind corruption and drug trafficking, according to the United Nations.
South-eastern Nigeria is particularly affected by trafficking in women and children. Several illegal maternity wards have been discovered in this part of the country in recent years.
01:45
UN forecasts improved prospects for the world economy
01:22
UN entrepreneurship forum focuses on innovation and growth
01:02
Pics of the day: May 14, 2024
00:58
Nigeria: Unions protest electricity price hike following removal of subsidies
01:59
Meghan Markle says it was "humbling" to discover she is part-Nigerian
Go to video
Africa: New study suggests climate change could mean declining malaria risk