Seventeen young Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated back to the country, while five traffickers were equally arrested by the efforts of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM).
According to a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NiDCOM, he said the latest rescue operation brought the number of girls repatriated back to Nigeria from Ghana alone to 130 since July, 2024.
“This was sequel to the combined and coordinated efforts of the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana, and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra,” the statement said.
Speaking on the latest efforts, Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, expressed her gratitude to Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her support in facilitating the safe return of the young girls back to the country.
She also commended the vital roles played by Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, BoT Chairman of NIDO Ghana, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.
She reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the Diaspora under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which gives priority to combating human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of Nigerian citizens at home and in the Diaspora.
The statement pointed out that the rescued young girls, ages 18 to 29 years, come from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.
They were lured to Ghana under false promises of employment but were instead forced into exploitative situations and bound by an oath of secrecy.
Dabiri-Erewa expressed her determination to the rescue of those still trafficked in conjuction with various stakeholders, noting that many more trafficked Nigerians were still awaiting rescue.
Mr. Williams Ayaregah, Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, praised NiDCOM’s efforts under Hon. Dabiri-Erewa’s leadership.
He said, “More than ever, traffickers must realise that Ghana is no longer a safe haven.”
The operation, conducted in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, resulted in one of the largest single operation arrests, with five traffickers apprehended.
Mr. Akinboye Akinsola, representing NiDCOM, played a critical role in escorting the rescued women back to Nigeria, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.
Chief Callistus Elozieuwa added that two young men were also repatriated, including one who was previously detained in Ghanaian prison.
With NIDO Ghana’s assistance, the young man underwent rehabilitation and has now returned to his home state, Anambra, for family reintegration.
This cross-national effort underscored NiDCOM’s dedication to eradicating human trafficking and highlights the importance of international collaboration to protect Nigerians abroad, the statement added.
