By Nudoiba Ojen
The Nigerian government has rescued eight girls aged between 15 and 22 years who were trafficked to Ghana for prostitution.
They have been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, received the girls in Lagos on Thursday and put them in the care of NAPTIP for safe and comfortable accommodations pending their formal rehabilitation and reintegration with their families.
This was disclosed in a press statement issued by Gabriel Odu for NiDCOM Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit.
The rescue happened a week after a 28-year-old Nigerian, Favour Ugwu, was arrested and jailed for eight years for human trafficking.
In the statement, Dabiri-Erewa applauded the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for facilitating the return of the girls, ranging from the ages of 15 to 22.
The girls who hail from various states across Nigeria, including Ebonyi, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Plateau, and Cross River “were lured to Ghana under false promises of employment but were forced into sexual exploitation.”
The NiDCOM boss, however, said “that there were still many more trafficked victims waiting to be rescued and thanked the Ghanaian security agencies for their cooperation.”
She also hailed the significant contributions of the President of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Ghana chapter, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa; the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, and the Interpol units of Nigeria and Ghana.
The statement added that the Federal Government was committed to combating human trafficking and protecting the rights of Nigerians both at home and in diaspora.
