See how NIDCOM Rescues 17 Nigerian Girls Trafficked to Ghana
Seventeen Nigerian girls who were trafficked to Ghana have been successfully rescued and returned to Nigeria, with five of their traffickers apprehended.
According to a statement released by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media and Public Relations for the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the girls, aged between 18 and 29, hail from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi. They were reportedly deceived with false promises of employment and subsequently forced into exploitative conditions, often under threats of secrecy.
“This rescue operation has led to the repatriation of 130 girls from Ghana since July 2024,” Balogun noted.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Ghana, and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of NiDCOM, credited Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her assistance in ensuring the safe return of the young women. She also praised the efforts of Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NIDO Ghana, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit for advocating for justice for the victims.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasized NiDCOM’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of Nigerians abroad, as outlined in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes combating human trafficking. She expressed her determination to continue rescuing trafficked Nigerians, noting that many still require assistance.
Williams Ayaregah, Director of Ghana’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, commended NiDCOM’s efforts under Dabiri-Erewa’s leadership, stating, “Traffickers must understand that Ghana is no longer a safe haven for their activities.”
The operation, which took place in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, resulted in one of the largest single-operation arrests, with five traffickers taken into custody.
Akinboye Akinsola, representing NiDCOM, escorted the rescued women back to Nigeria, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for rehabilitation and reintegration. Additionally, two young men were also repatriated, one of whom had previously been incarcerated in Ghana.
