Thirteen Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and repatriated to Nigeria, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) announced.
In a statement on Friday, the Commission revealed that this latest rescue brings the total number of trafficked individuals returned to Nigeria in the past five months to 163.
“Among the 163 are the 13 girls rescued and brought back to Nigeria over the weekend,” said Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols.
The operation was described as a collaborative effort involving the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, Rescue Live Foundation International, and NIDO Ghana, in partnership with NiDCOM.
Acknowledgements and Support
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, expressed her gratitude to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru for their support in facilitating the safe return of the victims.
She also commended Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees (Rescue Live Foundation International/NIDO Ghana), and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit for their critical roles in bringing the traffickers to justice.
Dabiri-Erewa reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerians both at home and abroad under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises combating human trafficking and protecting citizens’ rights.
Details of the Rescued Victims
The rescued girls, aged between 19 and 30, hail from Ebonyi, Benue, Kaduna, and Rivers States. They had been lured to Ghana with false promises of employment but were instead subjected to exploitative conditions and forced to take oaths of secrecy while their traffickers profited from their ordeal.
Mr Akinboye Akinsola, a NiDCOM representative who accompanied the victims back to Nigeria, stated that the girls voluntarily sought rescue after learning about previous operations in Kpone Katamanso and Tema.
Chief Callistus Elozieuwa noted that Rescue Live Foundation International/NIDO Ghana had provided temporary shelter for the victims, who willingly expressed their desire to return home.
Rehabilitation Efforts
The girls have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.
Valentine Okike Uzo, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Ebonyi State, thanked Governor Nwifuru for his commitment to supporting all Ebonyi indigenes, both at home and abroad. He assured that measures are in place to ensure the proper rehabilitation of the victims from Ebonyi State.
Signed:
Abdur-Rahman Balogun (MNIPR)
Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols, NiDCOM, Abuja.