17 Nigerian trafficked women rescued from Ghana

Seventeen young Nigerian women allegedly trafficked into Ghana have been rescued and repatriated to the country, while five alleged traffickers were arrested in the operation.

Abdur-Rahman Balogun, spokesman for the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in a statement on Sunday said two youths were also repatriated.

The women, aged between 18 and 29 years, came from various states including Anambra, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Imo, Edo and Ebonyi.

This development brings the number of female Ghanaian repatriates to 130 since July.

“They were lured to Ghana with false promises of employment but instead were forced into exploitation and sworn to secrecy,” Mr. Balogun said.

The rescued girls were handed over National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and reintegration.

Cooperation

NIDCOM said the rescue operation was carried out through a partnership with the Ghana Anti-Trafficking Police and the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.

Speaking on the rescue operation, the agency’s chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, thanked the First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, for her support in facilitating the return of the young girls back to the country.

She also commended the role played by Callistus Elozieuwa, an official of NIDO Ghana, and the Ghana Police Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in bringing human traffickers to justice.

“With the assistance of NIDO Ghana, the young man was rehabilitated and has now returned to his home state of Anambra for family reintegration,” the statement said.

“Dabiri-Erewa, together with various stakeholders, expressed her determination to rescue those still victims of human trafficking, noting that many Nigerians who are victims of human trafficking are still waiting to be rescued.

“The operation carried out in Kpone Katamanso, Tema resulted in one of the largest arrests in a single operation, with five traffickers apprehended.”

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According to the International Organization for Migration, many Nigerian women are trafficked from the country.

Due to limited employment opportunities, young women become victims of sex trafficking.