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'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in a continued effort to combat human trafficking has rescued and returned eight young Nigerian girls who were trafficked to Ghana. The girls, aged between 15 and 22, were received by NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, at the Commission’s Annex Office in Lagos on September 26, 2024. The girls, who hailed from different states in Nigeria, including Ebonyi, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Plateau, and Cross River, were lured to Ghana under the pretense of employment but were subsequently forced into sexual exploitation.
According to a statement today by Gabriel Odu of the media and publicity unit, Dabiri-Erewa expressed gratitude to the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her unwavering support in facilitating the return of the young women. She also acknowledged the efforts of Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Ghana Chapter, the Nigerian Embassy in Ghana, and the Interpol Units of both Nigeria and Ghana for their collaboration in the successful rescue operation.
The NiDCOM Chairman emphasized that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains committed to protecting the rights of Nigerian citizens both at home and abroad, particularly in addressing human trafficking and other human rights abuses.
Following their return to Nigeria, the rescued girls have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to ensure their safety and well-being. The agency will provide the young women with secure accommodations pending their formal rehabilitation and reintegration with their families.
Despite the success of this rescue operation, Dabiri-Erewa noted that many more Nigerian victims of human trafficking remain stranded in Ghana and other parts of the world. She expressed her appreciation to the Ghanaian security agencies for their cooperation and reiterated the importance of continued collaboration between nations to combat the menace of human trafficking.
In a related development, one of the traffickers, a 28-year-old Nigerian named Ms. Favour Ugwu, was apprehended and prosecuted in Ghana. She was sentenced to eight years in prison for her role in human trafficking.
NiDCOM has reaffirmed its commitment to fighting human trafficking and supporting the rights and welfare of Nigerian citizens abroad, vowing to continue working with relevant authorities to rescue more victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.
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