NiDCOM  Rescues 17 Trafficked Girls, Arrest Five Traffickers  in Ghana

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

Seventeen young Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated back to the country while five traffickers were equally arrested.

This latest rescue operation brought to 130 girls repatriated to Nigeria from Ghana alone since July 2024.

According to a statement signed yesterday by the Director, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, 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.

Speaking on this latest efforts, Chairman/CEO, NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa,  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 the BOT Chairman of NIDO Ghana, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa 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 Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which gave priority to combating human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of Nigerian citizens at home and in the Diaspora.

According to the statement,  the rescued young girls, ages 18 to 29 years, come from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.

The girls were said to have been  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 conjunction with various stakeholders, noting that many more trafficked Nigerians are still awaiting rescue.

Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Mr. Williams Ayaregah praised NiDCOM’s efforts under Hon. Abike 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 underscores NiDCOM’s dedication to eradicating human trafficking and highlights the importance of international collaboration to protect Nigerians abroad.