NIDCOM rescues 17 Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana

Seventeen Nigerian women who were trafficked to Ghana have been successfully rescued and returned to Nigeria, with five individuals involved in the trafficking also apprehended.

Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media and Public Relations at NIDCOM, announced on Sunday that the women, aged between 18 and 29, hail from several states across Nigeria, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi. They were reportedly deceived with false job offers and subsequently coerced into exploitative conditions, where they were made to keep silent about their plight.

“This recent operation has led to the repatriation of 130 girls from Ghana since July 2024,” Balogun highlighted.

The rescue was carried out by the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization in Ghana and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, acknowledged the assistance of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in facilitating the safe return of these young women.

Dabiri-Erewa also praised the contributions of Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for NIDO Ghana, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit for their roles in seeking justice for the victims. She reiterated NIDCOM’s dedication to safeguarding the rights of Nigerians both domestically and abroad, emphasizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes combating human trafficking.

The NiDCOM representative expressed a strong commitment to rescuing more Nigerian trafficking victims, noting that many still require help. Williams Ayaregah, Director of Ghana’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, commended NiDCOM’s initiatives under Dabiri-Erewa’s guidance, stating, “Traffickers must now understand that Ghana is no longer a refuge for their activities.”

The operation took place in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, resulting in one of the largest single operations against trafficking, with five suspects detained. Akinboye Akinsola from NIDCOM was involved in escorting 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 been held in a Ghanaian prison, according to the statement.