LAGOS, March 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Nigerian police have rescued 56 children, including 52 girls, believed to be sold as slaves or servants in Lagos, the west African country's largest city, from suspected human traffickers, police said on Monday.

    The children, aged seven to 14, were brought from a remote townof Mokwa in the central Niger state and were found tucked in a refrigerated truck normally used for carrying fish in Lagos on Sunday, according to a police spokesman. Most of them are allegedly picked up, lured and kidnapped.

    A woman was arrested while the children were now camped in a police station in Lagos. "We are taking care of them," the spokesman said.

    Human trafficking has become a lingering serious social problemin Nigeria and other west African countries, where women and children are the major victims. Women are trafficked for prostitution and large numbers of children have to work as beggarsor slaves finally. Enditem