Ayobamiji Komolafe 
In a significant victory against human trafficking, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has announced the rescue and repatriation of 17 trafficked Nigerian girls from Ghana.
According to the Commisssion, another five traffickers were also apprehended as part of a coordinated operation led by NiDCOM in collaboration with the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police, the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana, and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.
This rescue effort brings the total number of trafficked Nigerian girls repatriated from Ghana since July 2024 to 130.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, expressed appreciation for the unwavering support of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which facilitated the safe return of the young women.
Dabiri-Erewa commended the crucial roles played by Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, BOT Chairman of NIDO Ghana, and the Ghanaian Anti-Human Trafficking Police Unit in bringing the traffickers to justice.
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She reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to safeguarding Nigerians in the diaspora, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes combating human trafficking.
According to NiDCOM’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the rescued girls, aged 18 to 29, hail from various states, including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo, and Ebonyi.
Many of them were lured to Ghana under false promises of employment.
Instead of being employed, they found themselves trapped in exploitative situations, bound by oaths of secrecy.
The operation, conducted in Kpone Katamanso, Tema, marks one of the largest anti-trafficking actions in recent history with five traffickers arrested.
Williams Ayaregah, Director of the Ghana Police Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, commended NiDCOM’s dedication under Dabiri-Erewa’s leadership.
He declared, “More than ever, traffickers must realize that Ghana is no longer a safe haven.”
Akinboye Akinsola of NiDCOM escorted the rescued women back to Nigeria.
They were hiwever handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation upon teturn.
Chief Elozieuwa also noted that two young men, including one previously detained in a Ghanaian prison, were repatriated with NIDO Ghana’s assistance.
This cross-border effort further indicates NiDCOM’s commitment to eradicating human trafficking through international collaboration and support, protecting Nigerian citizens abroad.
