The Federal Government has rescued an additional 58 Nigerian women and children trafficked to Ghana.
In June, the FG rescued at least 10 Nigerian teenage girls, aged between 15 and 16, from human trafficking and prostitution.
The girls were reportedly lured to Ghana with promises of a better life but were instead forced into prostitution.
A statement on Saturday by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the Director of Media Public Relations and Protocols for the Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, stated that with the latest rescue, a total of 105 people have been rescued over the past few months.
He said, “A total number of 58 new sets of Nigerian women and children were rescued from human traffickers in Ghana, bringing the total number of rescued Nigerians in Accra in the last three months to 105.”
“Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman of the NIDCOM Board of Trustees in Ghana, disclosed this to the NIDCOM Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, when she visited the trafficked victims at their location in Accra.”
Providing a breakdown of the states of the 58 rescued Nigerians, Balogun stated that 47 are from Kano, five from Katsina, two from Jigawa, and four from Kaduna.
“The rescued women and children are on their way back to Nigeria, where they will be properly profiled and counseled by NAPTIP, reunited with their families, and rehabilitated by their various state governments,” the statement added.
He stated that the earlier rescued girls had been repatriated to the country.
Balogun said, “Apart from the newly rescued ones, 11 more girls, earlier rescued and in the care of NIDO BOT Chairman, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, and the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana, Ifedayo Adeoye, have also been repatriated back to Nigeria.”
Balogun noted that some of the suspected traffickers have been arrested and handed over to security agencies for profiling and prosecution.
He said, “Some of the suspected agents have also been apprehended and handed over to security agencies and NAPTIP for necessary profiling and prosecution.”
