NiDCOM Confirms Rescue of Three Nigerian Teenagers from Sex Trafficking Ring in Ghana
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has confirmed the rescue and safe return of three Nigerian teenage girls—Divine, Favour, and Bright—aged between 17 and 19 years, from a human trafficking syndicate operating in Ghana.
The victims, who hail from Bayelsa and Ebonyi States, were deceitfully trafficked to Ghana under the guise of promising employment opportunities. According to a statement issued on Friday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols at NiDCOM, the girls were lured by women they referred to as their “aunties” but were subsequently forced into sex work upon arrival in Ghana.
Also Read : 17 Killed in Fresh Militia Attacks on Benue Communities
Following their rescue, the teenagers were officially received at the NiDCOM Lagos office on Thursday and have since been transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). There, they will undergo further profiling, psychological counselling, and reintegration into society.
Reacting to the development, NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, expressed concern over the growing menace of human trafficking and emphasized the urgent need for societal accountability.
“Human trafficking will not end unless traffickers and their collaborators are publicly exposed and held accountable,” Dabiri-Erewa stated. “This is not just a national problem but a global scourge, and continued silence only emboldens the perpetrators.”
She extended appreciation to Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in Ghana, for his persistent efforts in facilitating the rescue of trafficked Nigerians. The Nigerian Embassy in Ghana was also commended for its strategic involvement in the rescue operation.
NiDCOM revealed that over 169 Nigerians have been rescued and repatriated from Ghana in recent months, all victims of similar human trafficking and exploitation rings.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting victims and dismantling the networks enabling the trafficking of Nigerians abroad.
