NIDCOM Rescues 17 Trafficked Girls, Arrests 5 Traffickers In Ghana

Accra, Ghana: In a major victory against human trafficking, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has successfully rescued 17 young Nigerian girls who were trafficked to Ghana and arrested five traffickers.
This brings the total number of girls repatriated from Ghana since July 2024 to 130.
The rescue operation, a collaborative effort between NIDCOM, the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, and Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana, saw the girls, aged 18 to 29, return safely to Nigeria.
They hailed from various states including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.
According to NIDCOM, the girls were lured to Ghana with false promises of employment but were subjected to exploitative conditions and forced to remain silent under an oath of secrecy.
NIDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed gratitude to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for facilitating the girls’ return.
She also commended the efforts of Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, BOT Chairman of NIDO Ghana, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.
Dabiri-Erewa reiterated NIDCOM’s commitment to protecting Nigerians in the diaspora, emphasising the importance of combating human trafficking under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The operation, conducted in Kpone Katamanso and Tema, Ghana, resulted in the arrest of five traffickers, marking one of the largest single-operation arrests in the region.
Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Mr. Williams Ayaregah, lauded NIDCOM’s efforts, stating that Ghana is no longer a haven for traffickers.
The rescued women were handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.
In addition to the women, two young men were also repatriated, including one who was previously detained in a Ghanaian prison.
With NIDO Ghana’s assistance, the young man underwent rehabilitation and was returned to his family in Anambra.
This successful collaboration highlights NIDCOM’s dedication to eradicating human trafficking and underscores the importance of international cooperation in protecting Nigerians abroad.