The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has announced the successful repatriation of 13 trafficked Nigerian girls from Ghana, marking a total of 163 trafficking victims rescued and returned home since July 2024.
In a statement released on Friday by NiDCOM’s spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the girls, aged 19 to 30, were lured to Ghana under the pretext of job opportunities but were subjected to exploitative conditions.
The rescue operation was a collaborative effort involving the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, Rescue Live Foundation International, the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO) Ghana, and NiDCOM.
Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the coordinated efforts that facilitated the rescue. She expressed gratitude to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru for their support in the repatriation process. Dabiri-Erewa reiterated NiDCOM’s commitment to protecting Nigerians abroad as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes combating human trafficking and ensuring citizens’ safety.
The rescued girls hail from Ebonyi, Benue, Kaduna, and Rivers states. Reports indicate that the victims were coerced into exploitative arrangements and forced to take oaths of secrecy while their traffickers profited from the scheme.
A NiDCOM representative, Akinboye Akinsola, who accompanied the victims back to Nigeria, revealed that the girls voluntarily sought help after learning about earlier rescue missions conducted in Ghana. Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Rescue Live Foundation International/NIDO Ghana, confirmed that his organization provided temporary shelter for the victims before facilitating their safe return.
Valentine Uzo, Senior Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor, assured that the state government had already put measures in place to ensure the victims’ rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The operation highlights the importance of international collaboration in dismantling human trafficking networks and ensuring the protection of vulnerable individuals.
