130 trafficked Nigerian girls rescued from Ghana in three months

Not less than 130 Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and safely repatriated over the past three months, authorities have said.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it coordinated the operations in collaboration with Ghana’s Anti-Human Trafficking Police, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana, and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

The most recent rescue operation, involving 17 young women, resulted in the arrest of five traffickers and highlighted the commitment of both Nigeria and Ghana to protect vulnerable citizens.

Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media for NiDCOM, confirmed the this in a statement on Sunday, stating that it was a major success in efforts to combat human trafficking in West Africa.

He emphasized the efforts made to facilitate the return of trafficked Nigerians, led by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NiDCOM Chairperson and supported by Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s First Lady.

“These young women were lured with false job promises and trapped into exploitative situations, bound by secrecy oaths,” Balogun said.

According to him, the girls who were recruited from several Nigerian states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi, were aged between 18 and 29.

Williams Ayaregah, Director of Ghana’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, praised NiDCOM’s commitment to combat human trafficking.

While referring to the raid in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, where the five arrests were made in one of Ghana’s largest anti-trafficking operations, Ayaregah said, “Traffickers must understand that Ghana is no longer a safe haven.”

The girls were received by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.

In a related effort, NIDO Ghana also helped repatriate two young Nigerian men, one of whom had been detained in a Ghanaian prison, reuniting him with his family in Anambra.

Dabiri-Erewa reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Nigerians abroad as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“There are still many trafficked Nigerians awaiting rescue, and we are determined to bring them home,” she stated.

She thanked Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of NIDO Ghana’s Board of Trustees, for roles in the rescues and arrests, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in tackling human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of Nigerians abroad.