Seventeen Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and returned to Nigeria, and five traffickers have been arrested.
The rescued women, aged between 18 and 29, are from various states in Nigeria including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo and Edo, according to a statement on Sunday by Abdulrahman Balogun, Media and Public Relations Director of NiDCOM. It was coming from. , ebony.
They were reportedly lured to Ghana under false promises of employment, then forced into exploitative situations and sworn to secrecy.
“Seventeen Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated, and five traffickers have been arrested as well.
“With this latest rescue operation, 130 girls from Ghana alone have been repatriated to Nigeria since July 2024,” Balogun said.
The rescue operation was coordinated by the Ghana Anti-Trafficking Police in collaboration with the Nigerian Diaspora of Ghana and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.
The Chairman of the Commission for Nigerians in Diaspora, Abike Dabiri Erewa, has commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her support in facilitating the safe return of the young women.
Mr. Dabiri-Erewa also commended the efforts of the Ghana NIDO Chairman, Chief Callistus Elojiuwa, and the Ghana Anti-Trafficking Police Force in ensuring justice for the victims.
He said NiDCOM’s commitment to protect Nigerians in the diaspora builds on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s New Hope Agenda, which prioritizes combating human trafficking and protecting the rights of Nigerians in the country and in the diaspora. We have reiterated our efforts,” the statement added.
The NiDCOM chief emphasized his determination to rescue more trafficked Nigerians with the help of various stakeholders, noting that many people are still waiting for assistance.
Williams Ayarega, Head of Ghana’s Anti-Trafficking Unit, commended NiDCOM’s efforts under the leadership of Dabiri Erewa, saying, We need to be more aware of this.”
The operation, which took place in Kupone Katamanso, Tema, was the largest single arrest in a single operation, with five traffickers arrested.
Mr. Akinboye Akinsola, Director of NiDCOM, helped transport the rescued women to Nigeria, where they were handed over to the National Agency for the Anti-Trafficking for rehabilitation and reintegration.
The statement concluded that in addition to the rescued woman, two young men were also repatriated, including a man who was previously detained in a Ghanaian prison.
