More than 10 Nigerian teenage girls allegedly trafficked to Ghana for prostitution have been rescued, according to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).
The girls, all under 18, were reportedly lured from Nigeria to Ghana by an unidentified man who has since been arrested by the police in the neighboring West African country.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, the girls were rescued by the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), an umbrella association for Nigerians living in Ghana.
In a viral video which showed the girls after they were rescued, a NIDO official was heard saying, “We just rescued all these ones from one single person, innocent Nigerian children that were brought here to do what they wouldn’t have wished do to.
“They are helpless. They picked them and send them to do prostitution and they would be collecting money from these innocent children.”
These are young girls trafficked to Ghana for prostitution . We thank Chief Callistus, Chairman, Nido Ghana for ensuring the arrest of the evil perpetrator. I am sure @naptipnigeria will follow up,Very , very heartbreaking pic.twitter.com/zgkPCcGFx6
— abikedabiri (@abikedabiri) June 7, 2024
‘Heartbreaking’
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the NIDCOM boss described the development as heartbreaking and urged the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to take over the matter.
“These are young girls trafficked to Ghana for prostitution,” she quoted a viral video showing the girls. “We thank Chief Callistus, Chairman, NIDO Ghana, for ensuring the arrest of the evil perpetrator. I am sure NAPTIP will follow up, very heartbreaking.”
In a follow-up post, Dabiri-Erewa said another set of girls have been rescued. “The culprit will be charged to court in Ghana next week and arrangements being made to bring the rescued girls back to Nigeria,” she wrote, insisting that traffickers must be named and shamed.
“They are worse than drug barons! And as long as they are walking about freely, innocent young children will continue to be trafficked!”