FG RECEIVES 231 TRAFFICKED NIGERIAN YOUTHS RESCUED FROM GHANA (VIDEOS)
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A total of 231 Nigerian boys and girls who were trafficked to Ghana have been rescued and brought back to Nigeria through a coordinated effort involving multiple agencies, with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) playing a key role in facilitating their transportation.
Many of the victims had been deceived with promises of well-paying jobs but were instead forced into internet fraud activities after being handed laptops, until their rescue.
Staff Officer Dominic Mensah, Head of Human Trafficking at Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), stated that the victims were found during a recent raid on an estate where they were housed.
He added that 27 suspected traffickers were apprehended during the operation.
“We got intelligence on the location two weeks ago and struck last week. We found underage youths and adults held there. Some were sick, and to prevent a humanitarian crisis, the Ghanaian government decided to repatriate them back to Nigeria,” Mensah explained.
Following this, NIDCOM, with support from Her Excellency, the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and Wema Bank, immediately arranged for the victims’ return.
Upon their arrival in Nigeria, the victims were officially handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for further profiling and assistance.
The owner of the estate where the victims were kept is currently standing trial in Ghana, with authorities promising that all members of the trafficking network will be apprehended and prosecuted.
The victims, aged between 15 and 38, included 76 individuals from Edo State, 6 from Anambra, 17 from Delta, 13 from Bayelsa, 19 from Imo, 12 from Enugu, 8 from Ebonyi, 7 from Cross River, 9 from Abia, 4 from Niger, 3 from Akwa Ibom, 6 from Kogi, and one each from Ondo and Osun States.
While welcoming the victims in Lagos, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, encouraged them not to feel ashamed about their experiences.
“You are being received on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. The President cares about you and every Nigerian, regardless of where you reside. Hold your heads high. For those who want to return to school or learn a trade, support will be provided through your state governments,” Dabiri-Erewa assured.
She expressed gratitude to key stakeholders who made the rescue and repatriation possible, including the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (CON), Wema Bank for covering transportation costs and offering financial support, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman BOT of NIDO Ghana, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Adeoye, and Airtel, whose staff were present to distribute starter packs to victims who already had their NINs.
Dabiri-Erewa also emphasized the government’s determination to expose and prosecute human traffickers, similar to the approach taken against drug traffickers.
“They will not go scot-free. Traffickers will be punished. NAPTIP and other agencies will help you reintegrate and find jobs. You have a bright future ahead,” she said, while urging state governments to offer support to victims from their respective states.
Similarly, NAPTIP Zonal Commander Comfort Agboka stated that all victims would undergo detailed profiling, and the suspects would be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigations.
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